TWO NEW queens were added to the roster of the Binibining Pilipinas sisterhood with the coronation of Gwendoline Meliz Soriano from Baguio City and Sasha-Juli Belle Lacuna from Tarlac as winners of the 62nd edition of the national pageant.
Soriano bagged the Binibining Pilipinas International crown, while Lacuna clinched the Binibining Pilipinas Globe title at the culmination of the competition at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Saturday, July 18.
Soriano was supposed to compete in 2022, but had to withdraw because of personal reasons. She also represented Baguio at the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, where she finished in the Top 12.
Lacuna won the Binibining Kanlahi pageant, which qualified her to the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant. She finished in the Top 24.
The two new national titleholders took home a hefty prize package that includes a P1-million cash prize each.
Soriano inherited the title from Katrina Anne Johnson, who is set to compete at the 2026 Miss International pageant in Tokyo in November. She will compete in next year’s edition of the global tilt.
Lacuna received her crown from Annabelle McDonnell, who was in the Top 10 of The Miss Globe pageant in Albania last year. The new queen will compete in this year’s edition of the international competition in Thailand later this year.
Two more ladies joined the winners’ circle, first runner-up Julianne Raine Antonio of Dumaguete City, and second runner-up Tracy Mae Sunio from Bacolod City, who received P400,000 each.
During the final question-and-answer portion, the four finalists were asked: “What future do you envision for yourself, and how will a Binibining Pilipinas title help you get to that destination?”
Soriano answered, “I envision to be an aspirational leader, and with the Binibini crown, hopefully, I get to inspire other people to believe in the beauty of their dreams, and to be faithful. I’m here now not because of my own strength, not because of my own beauty and skills, but only by the grace of God. And I am here to share that hope, that message, that hopefully, even after this and beyond the crown, I will be remembered as someone who has a big faith and a big heart.”
The event also invited two reigning international pageant titleholders, 2025 Miss International Catalina Duque from Colombia and 2025 The Miss Globe Cheraim Chayathanus Saradatta from Thailand.
They also joined the judging panel, which included 1969 Miss Universe Gloria Diaz. (Armin P. Adina © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
