Miss Universe Philippines 2025 bet from Isabela honors ‘Ikapati’ in natcos
Jarina Sandhu. Image: BJ Melchor via Instagram/@sandhujarina
Miss Universe Philippines 2025 bet from Isabela, Jarina Sandhu, honors growth and abundance, as her green and mustard-colored costume is a tribute to Ikapati, the “goddess and guardian of the farmland” of her hometown.
Designed by Kennedy John Gaspar, Sandhu’s national costume is reminiscent of a tree trunk, with the beauty queen appearing to sprout from it. She is also wrapped with mustard-colored flowers, palay, and leaves, with a scarecrow perched behind her, as seen in photos taken by photographer BJ Melchor.
“Ikapati, a goddess and guardian of the [farmland] of Isabela who lives behind the tall bamboo grass, once fell deeply in love with a mortal man. From their forbidden union was born a being unlike any other — mystical, watchful, and woven from the very threads of earth and sky,” the Filipina-Indian beauty wrote.
“This creature came to be known as the Bambanti. When Ikapati vanished from the world of men, it was Bambanti who rose in her place, standing watch over the fields and farmers of Isabela, a silent sentinel shaped by love, duty, and divine legacy,” she continued.
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Sandhu said her national costume is also a tribute to Isabela as the “heart of the Philippines’ agricultural pride,” adding that it is meant to channel Ikapati’s “divine energy.”
“Designed by the visionary Kennedy Gasper, the ensemble features rich harvest hues, golden grains, and bambanti-inspired elements that honor the province’s farming heritage and deep connection to the earth,” she wrote. “A celebration of abundance, resilience, and the sacred role of women as givers of life, this look brings to the Miss Universe stage the spirit of Ikapati in full bloom.”
During the national costume show, the Isabela-based beauty queen started her presentation with the trunks closed before unveiling the harvest-inspired costume in its full glory, as seen in a clip posted by one Mundang Macugay.
Despite being a newbie on the Miss Universe Philippines stage, Sandhu emerged as a strong performer throughout her pre-pageant activities.
She was among the top candidates of the Personality Poll and was declared an Arete Tagaytay Goddess during its Boracay Swimsuit Show.
The Miss Universe Philippines 2025 coronation night will be held on Friday, May 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena. The national pageant will culminate with reigning titleholder Chelsea Manalo passing her crown to her successor.
