Miss Asia Pacific International Chaiyenne Huisman (center) with her runners-up (from left) Fiorella Cortez Arbenz, Jessica Cianchino, Eoanna Constanza, and Carolina Schuler/ARMIN P. ADINA
The Miss Asia Pacific International (MAPI) organizers have announced the coronation date for its 2024 pageant, its comeback edition five years since last staging a competition, and the new queen will be crowned on Oct. 7 in Manila.
“Be part of the moment as we honor each and every woman’s strength, individuality, wisdom, beauty. The crown for diversity is back, celebrating camaraderie, sisterhood, and family,” the international pageant said in a video posted on social media, announcing the date and venue of the coronation show.
MAPI was forced to cancel the 2020 contest because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this extended to three more years. The last time a pageant was held was in 2019, with Chaiyenne Huisman scoring Spain’s first victory in the revamped competition that has since had a global scope, expanding its reach beyond the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2016, the international pageant launched its “Beauty in Diversity” campaign, and MAPI general manager Kristine Caballero Aplal said the organization’s thrust will continue. “Throughout the years since, we have been taking steps towards realizing this campaign into a more concrete program wherein our delegates have been making conscious efforts in living out this advocacy even beyond their pageant careers,” she told INQUIRER.net in an online interview.
MAPI president Eva Patalinjug said changes have been made to make the pageant an even more inclusive platform. “In a move toward greater representation and empowerment, the pageant will now welcome married women and mothers to participate, acknowledging the importance of amplifying diverse voices and experiences,” she shared, adding that the age limit has also been pushed to 30.
“These changes mark a transformative shift in the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant, signaling a commitment to embracing and celebrating the multifaceted identities and experiences of women in the world,” she continued.
“By providing a more open and inclusive platform, the pageant aims to inspire and empower women from all walks of life to confidently share their stories, aspirations, and contributions to society,” added Patalinjug.
The Miss Philippines finalist Blessa Figueroa will represent the country in this year’s competition, and will try to become the sixth Filipino woman to win the title, following Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982), Gloria Dimayacyac (1983), Lorna Legaspi (1989), Michelle Aldana (1993), and Sharifa Areef Mohammad Omar Akeel (2018).