Miss Tourism World runner-up Justine Felizarta joins Miss Universe Philipines 2026
Another international pageant veteran is throwing her hat in the 2026 Miss Universe Philippines race, 2022 Miss Tourism World first runner-up Justine Felizarta.
The 31-year-old seasoned contender, a veteran of several national pageants, is representing the City of Manila in the seventh edition of the standalone Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
Felizarta surprised many when she arrived at the contract signing for the second batch of aspirants in this year’s national pageant at the Empire Studio at Estancia Mall in Pasig City on Wednesday, Feb. 11, wearing her official sash as Miss Universe Philippines-Manila 2026.
She joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in 2015 and 2021, and was crowned Miss World Philippines-Tourism for finishing as “First Princess” in the 2022 Miss World Philippines contest. She also topped the female division of the Century Superbods search in 2024.
Felizarta was not among the pageant veterans whose names have been cropping up as possible “comeback queens” for what is touted to be another competitive edition of the national pageant.
In the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, another seasoned queen represented Manila, Miss Philippines Earth and Hiyas ng Pilipinas alumna Jasmine Paguio. She finished in the Top 24.
Reigning Miss Universe Philippines Ahtisa Manalo was herself a former global pageant runner-up before joining last year’s national pageant. She was first runner-up in the 2018 Miss International pageant.
Her second runner-up, Yllana Marie Aduana, was Miss Earth-Air in the 2023 Miss Earth pageant held in Vietnam, while first runner-up Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez was crowned Reina Hispanoamericana in 2017 in Bolivia.
This year’s Miss Universe Philippines pageant has attracted international pageant veterans anew. Joining Felizarta are 2020 Miss Earth-Water Roxie Baeyens, 2024 Miss Earth-Water Bea Millan-Windorski and 2023 Miss International third runner-up Nicole Borromeo. /ra
