IMMEDIATELY after Selena Antonio-Reyes was presented to the media on Tuesday, Feb. 13, as the official representative of Pasig City for this year’s Miss Universe Philippines pageant, her family joined her for photos. One would normally think nothing of it, but instead of siblings or parents, she was joined by her husband and their two school-aged kids.
She is the first Filipino wife and mother to join Miss Universe, which last year lifted age restrictions for pageant hopefuls. The year before that, the Miss Universe Organization announced that mothers and wives could also aim for the crown.
This is not Selena’s first time to join a pageant. The fitness enthusiast — then Selena Alexis Antonio — was one of the finalists at the Binibining Pilipinas 2010 search. She married her longtime boyfriend Dino Reyes and soon started a family with him. In 2022, she participated in the Century Tuna Superbods search where she won in the Ageless category.
Selena is well aware that not everyone will be happy to see a 38-year-old mom and wife compete at Miss Universe Philippines, but she has a strong support system, thanks to her family whom she described in an Instagram post as “the ones who make my heart full.” (Raoul J. Chee Kee © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
