Alyssa Redondo in her swimsuit and long gown. Image from Mutya ng Pilipinas Instagram; Armin P. Adina
Recently-crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas-Intercontinental Alyssa Redondo is the third major national pageant titleholder to bag two major special awards in her national competition just this quarter alone, the first two being the top winners of the Binibining Pilipinas and Miss World Philippines contests.
Winning Best in Swimsuit is a major feat for a pageant aspirant, an award that almost always guarantees a crown in the end. But also getting the Best in Gown award is a rare occurrence, even with perceived strong contenders.
Redondo did just that, taking both major special awards, and eventually snagging the most important crown at the culmination of the 2024 Mutya ng Pilipinas coronation night held at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Friday, Sept. 6.
And she had two precedents from major national pageants that conducted their respective final competitions in July, whose top winners also both received the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards.
Myrna Esguerra had a convincing win as Bb. Pilipinas International at the 60th edition of the national pageant on July 7 because she also topped both the swimsuit and gown segments during the competition. This feat was accomplished in the past by her Binibini sisters Gabrielle Basiano in 2022 and 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray.
Krishnah Gravidez also dominated the Miss World Philippines finals on July 19, by taking home the top title and the awards for both swimsuit and gown. She also took home a slew of special citations just like Redondo and Esguerra.
Redondo, who represented the Filipino community in California in the recently-concluded Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant, was also proclaimed as Miss Jimang Trim and Miss Luxe Skin.
Esguerra, meanwhile, also received the Bb. Philippine Airlines and Bb. Urban Smiles titles, and was one of the five winners as Best in National Costume.
Gravidez had a bigger haul, though. She topped the “Multimedia” fast-track competition, received the Miss Photogenic award, and was proclaimed as Miss 9Young Basic, Miss Bagin, Miss Bench, Miss Best Skin, Miss Dr. Leo, Miss Forticare, and Miss ProCup. Her Miss World Philippines crown also came with the following auxiliary titles: Miss Hairfix, Miss Hello Glow, Miss Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, Miss Mestiza, Miss Oro China, Miss Philippine Airlines, and Miss Jojo Bragais.
But it was not only Esguerra and Gravidez that Redondo finds a connection with. The Mutya winner won her crown while wearing a dress created by Manny Halasan, the same person who made reigning Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo’s winning gown.
Redondo will represent the Philippines in the Miss Intercontinental pageant later this year, and try to become the third Filipino woman to win the crown, following Karen Gallman in 2018 and Cinderella Obeñita in 2021.