Ifugao, Davao bets dominate Miss World Philippines 2026 prelims
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Ifugao’s Valerie West and Davao’s Jayvee Lyn Lorejo were the “hakot queens” at the 2026 Miss World Philippines charity gala for taking home the most number of awards.
The event, which also served as the preliminary competition, was held at Okada Manila in Parañaque City on Thursday evening, Jan. 29.
West, the first-ever delegate from Ifugao to the national pageant, was proclaimed Miss Chic Wellnes, Miss NutriXpert, Miss Nook Salon and Miss Graze Yourself.
The biomedical engineer had previously carried Ifugao at the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines contest. She was fielded by the Filipino community in New York to the competition.
Lorejo, a flight attendant representing the entirety of Davao Region to the national competition, took home three corporate titles—Miss SVS Salon, Miss Hairfix and Miss Tasty Fit.
Pampanga’s Gabrielle Galapia was able to snag two awards from the two frontrunners. She received the MWell Health and Wellness Ambassador and Miss Megan Beauty titles. She was also among the semifinalists in the Top Model competition.
West and Lorejo, meanwhile, both copped semifinal placements in all the categories of the evening — Dances of the Philippines, Miss Charity, Top Model, and Swimsuit — along with Margarethe Elize Romano from the Filipino community of the United Kingdom.
Former Miss Teen USA contestant Asia Rose Simpson, representing Quezon City, copped placements in the Swimsuit, Top Model, and Dances of the Philippines categories. Marizza Delgado from the Filipino community of New York, a semifinalist in the 2024 Miss USA pageant, was among the top performers in Swimsuit and Top Model.
Former Miss Universe Philippines-Quezon City Lorraine Ojimba, now representing Rizal, and former Binibining Pilipinas semifinalist Anne De Mesa from Manila were also among the leading delegates in the Swimsuit, Top Model, and Dances of the World categories.
The winners of the preliminary competitions and the “fast-track” events held earlier will be announced at the coronation show at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Feb. 3, where reigning Miss World Opal Suchata and Miss World CEO Julia Morley are set to make an appearance.
Tweny-four delegates from acoss the country and overseas Filipino communities are competing to succeed reigning queen Krishnah Gravidez, who was proclaimed Miss World Asia in the international competition held in India in May last year.
Four more national titles will be awarded — Miss Global Philippines, Miss Tourism International Philippines, Universal Woman Philippines and Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International Philippines. /ra
