Pageant veterans join search for MUPH bet from Canada

MUPH wannabees from Canada. Miss Filipinas Worldwide candidates Jessica Cianchino (left) and Suzette Hernandez/MISS FILIPINAS WORLDWIDE FACEBOOK PHOTOS

The Filipino community in Canada is seeking a representative who will compete in the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) pageant, and its search has attracted veterans of international competitions.

Among those who enlisted for the 2025 Miss Filipinas Worldwide competition were Jessica Cianchino and Suzette Hernandez, who had both already represented “The Great White North” in various global pageants.

Hernandez was sent by the Filipino-Canadian community to the 2010 Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant, where current MUPH fourth runner-up Christi McGarry represented the Filipino community in the United States’ East Coast.

McGarry was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific International, and was later sent to the Miss Intercontinental pageant, while Hernandez finished as first runner-up.

Hernandez joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in the succeeding year, carrying the province of Batangas, but she went home empty-handed. She returned to Canada and became the North American country’s delegate to the 2013 Miss Supranational pageant which was won by Filipino bet Mutya Johanna Datul.

Cianchino, on the other hand, did not participate in any major national search in the Philippines. She joined pageants in Canada and won the right to compete in two international competitions.

She first represented Canada in the 2019 Miss Asia Pacific International pageant held in Manila, and was proclaimed as second runner-up. She later competed in the 2022 Miss Earth pageant, also held in Manila.

The Miss Filipinas Worldwide pageant is currently conducting an online poll, where the winner will earn a guaranteed slot in the Top 10 during the final competition on Jan. 25 next year.

This is first search for the Filipino-Canadian community’s representative to the MUPH pageant since the inception of the national competition in 2020.