Hiyas ng Pilipinas-Tourism World winner vows to use crown for PWD welfare

Hiyas ng Pilipinas-Tourism World Fatima Kate Bisan/ARMIN P. ADINA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Newly-crowned 2023 Hiyas ng Pilipinas-Tourism World Fatima Kate Bisan said she will use her crown to advance the cause of persons with disabilities (PWDs), a sector she has been exposed to through her volunteer work.

“I’m advocating for the rights of [PWDS]. I’ll work together with the Hiyas ng Pilipinas,” the Sarangan beauty told INQUIRER.net after her coronation at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino on Nov. 11. She bested 42 other delegates from all over the country for the crown, and the right to represent the country in the 2023 Miss Tourism World pageant.

“I know we have so many things to do. We have to connect and prioritize, of course, giving scholarships to persons who cannot afford to pursue higher education. So I’m willing to work with Hiyas, and I’m ready,” continued Bisan, who is working with the nonprofit organization AKAY ni SOL.

“Volunteering for AKAY ni SOL made me realize how our PWDs are underrepresented. Being with the PWDs almost 24/7 [has] inspired me to advocate for their rights and to uplift their quality of life, so that they may be able to live a comfortable life that is free from discrimination and oppression,” she posted on social media.

Bisan also waxed emotional as she shared with INQUIRER.net that she also dedicates her crown to her mother. “I really waited for this for so long,” she said between sobs. “So many people have questioned my strength, my capabilities. And there was a time when there were people who do not support me. But I know I believe in myself as long as there are people who believe in me,” she continued.

With her recent victory, Bisan has scored her first national title. She was a runner-up in the 2021 Miss Philippines Earth, and 2021 Miss FIT (Face, Intelligence, Tone) Philippines pageants, and also participated in the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas competition.

Bisan was a more formidable contender in her national stage comeback. Not only did she capture the top title in the competition, she also received the most special awards. She was hailed as Best in National Costume and Miss Photogenic, and was also proclaimed Hiyas ng Golden Sands Destination Resorts, Hiyas ng Brightline Development Services, and Hiyas ng Iconique Mall.

Her international competition was originally scheduled also in November, but the London-based Miss Tourism World postponed it, and will soon make another announcement as to the new date and host country. She will try to exceed the second-place finish posted by Justine Felizarta for the Philippines in the most recent edition, and score the country’s second victory 21 years after Michelle Reyes became the first Filipino woman to snag the title.

The national pageant also crowned two more international delegates, Juvyel Saluta from Manila who will compete in the Miss Continental World pageant in Thailand in September next year, and Jackelaine Fleming from Talisay City, Cebu, who will take part in the Miss Omninational contest in Indonesia in July 2024.

The two other queens are also alumnae of the Miss FIT Philippines pageant like Bisan, with Fleming as the currently-reigning titleholder, and Saluta as her runner-up.