QC’s Miss Universe Philippines 2025 bet ready to clash with pageant veterans

Miss Universe Philippines-Quezon City Zoe Honeyman. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
When Zoe Honeyman was crowned Miss Universe Philippines-Quezon City 2025, she has become part of a competitive batch of beauties in the field of Miss Universe Philippines aspirants that includes several established names. The new queen said she is ready for them.
“I think all of us are individually beautiful. But of course, it can be a bit frightening to compete with such beautiful and established women. As we can see, the underdogs come out, too. So we’ll see,” she told INQUIRER.net after her coronation in Quezon City on Sunday evening, Feb. 2.
The 23-year-old Australian-Filipino beauty is new to pageantry. But she made an impressive debut in the recent competition, bagging the lion’s share of special awards.
Honeyman received the Miss Cream Silk, Miss Icon Clinic, Miss Jell Life and Miss iColor titles, and also took home the very important Best in Swimsuit and Best in Long Gown awards in Sunday night’s pageant.
But perhaps one of the biggest accomplishments she had in the evening was being able to answer a question from Miss Universe Asia Chelsea Manalo.
Article continues after this advertisementThe reigning Miss Universe Philippines titleholder was among the five individuals invited to deliver the questions to the finalists, who also included a child and a lady guard.
Article continues after this advertisementManalo asked Honeyman: “Sabi nila (they said) I started making people appreciate a new type of beauty, which is black Filipina beauty. What kind of new beauty emerging today [should we] start appreciating too, and why?”
The new queen responded, “I think at the end of the day, beauty should be appreciated no matter what. Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You will never ever be able to please every single person in the world. So what matters is that you should be able to please yourself, and what you think is beautiful is beautiful in your heart.”
Honeyman said the moment caught her by surprise. “I knew she’d be here, but I wasn’t expecting she’d ask the question. It was also the first time I see her in person. She’s so beautiful, and she’s such an inspiration. When she came out, I was so starstruck that I couldn’t answer the question. But it’s okay, I pulled through,” she shared.
The race to the Miss Universe Philippines crown this year has become more exciting, with the different local searches crowning such strong contenders who will compete against pageant veterans.
Former Binibining Pilipinas and Miss Philippines Earth queen Chanel Olive Thomas, who landed a Top 10 spot in the 2017 Miss Supranational pageant, has been appointed to represent the Filipino community in Melbourne, while 2023 Miss Earth-Air Yllana Marie Aduana has been designated as the delegate of Siniloan, Laguna. Also in the race is 2019 Mutya ng Pilipinas titleholder Tyra Goldman who won the local search in Bohol.