Miss Asia Pacific International pageant announces venue for Oct. 7 finals

The Miss Philippines-Asia Pacific International Blessa Figueroa. Image: Facebook/The Miss Philippines

After earlier declaring its return from a four-year break, the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant has now announced the venue of the forthcoming coronation night scheduled on Oct. 7—the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City.

The pageant also held its two previous coronation shows in the same venue, held in 2018 and 2019, and crowning the Philippines’ Sharifa Areef Mohammad Omar Akeel and Spain’s Cheyenne Huisman, respectively.

“Mark your calendars for October 7, 2024, and see you at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, [Newport World Resorts] for a night of beauty and glamour!” the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant announced on social media.

“Join us as we witness the crowning of our next queen! [crown emoji],” added the organization, which already announced in June that the 2024 coronation night would be held on Oct. 7. Ticket details will be released soon.

The pageant canceled the staging of the competition in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The postponement was extended in 2021, and again in 2022. No competition was announced for 2023.

In February, Jacqueline Tan-Sainz announced that the pageant will return in 2024. And while she is retaining her post as the organization’s CEO, she has relinquished her position as Miss Asia Pacific International president to beauty queen-turned-lawyer Eva Patalinjug.

Patalinjug’s fellow Mutya ng Pilipinas alumna Kristine Caballero-Aplal, meanwhile, has assumed the position of general manager, taking over from Essa Santos, who helped Sainz steer the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant as a competition that promotes beauty in diversity.

Because of the four-year break, the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant has increased its maximum age limit to 30. Several countries had already proclaimed their delegates years ago. Patalinjug also earlier revealed that the contest will now open its doors to married women and mothers, to further push its promotion of inclusivity and diversity.

The country is fielding Blessa Figueroa in the 2024 Miss Asia Pacific International competition. She earned her ticket to the global tilt after advancing to the finals of the inaugural staging of The Miss Philippines Culture and Heritage Celebration held in October last year. She and her fellow finalists received their respective international pageant assignments in February.

The Philippines is the most successful country in the Manila-based global pageant with five winners. Aside from Akeel, the other Filipino winners in the contest’s various iterations were Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982), Gloria Dimayacyac (1983), Lorna Legaspi (1989), and Michelle Aldana (1993).