Coming home golden: Emma Tiglao’s win hints at future of Philippine pageantry

MANILA, Philippines – A month since the historic back-to-back wins for the Philippines at the 2025 Miss Grand International (MGI) pageant in Thailand, new queen Emma Mary Tiglao officially came home to the country carrying not just a crown, but the experiences that proved how dreams take time before they become a “finally.”

For more than a decade, the Philippines had hoped to capture its first golden crown from Miss Grand International. That long-awaited moment surprisingly arrived earlier this year when CJ Opiaza earned the title after initially being named first runner-up, later assuming the crown following the resignation of India’s Rachel Gupta.

CJ’s coronation already marked a groundbreaking milestone for the country, but what followed became even more historic when Emma secured the Philippines’ grandest moment yet during the pageant finale in Thailand last October.

This triumph not only added another crown to the nation’s long list of pageant achievements. It also marked the country’s first ever back-to-back wins in the history of MGI, underscoring the consistent excellence and determination of Filipina candidates on the international stage.

“I think it is not just about perfection. It is about a queen who is willing — willing to grow, willing to learn, and willing to love everyone,” Emma said. “Because right now, what is happening around us is so cruel. It is not all about good. And what we need to be to inspire is to be a source of goodness and kindness.”

Emma’s legacy-defining moment shows that success is not measured by grace and skill alone. It is shaped by the deeper intention to move people and create lasting change. 

“There’s always a reason why God put us in this situation… it’s up to you how you will use it,” the Kapampangan beauty queen reflected. “So I hope whoever we are in our life, whether we are beauty queens or we are somebody else, there is a reason why we are there.”

With her victory, she sets a powerful benchmark for the next generation of Filipina queens aiming to make history on the international stage.

“If I have time to talk to them (young beauty queens), I will share with them my experiences, lessons that I have learned throughout my pageant journey,” Emma said. “And I hope they are inspired with what we have done and all the Filipino queens that best represented the Philippines at Miss Grand International.”

MGI founder and president Nawat Itsaragrisil offered a candid look into why the Philippines continues to shine on the pageant stage, and why he believes the country is capable of producing even more historic wins.

Filipino beauty queens have long displayed incredible strength and competitiveness, the Thai mogul said. But many times, too, they would narrowly fall short of the crown.

Nawat emphasized that beauty queens should embody not just glamor, but work ethic, authenticity, and self-reliance. The winner, he added, should not only aspire for the crown, but should also carry the responsibilities that come after.

“[It’s] like a role model for young girls, to stand for themselves. It’s the most important,” said Nawat. “We don’t want to put the beauty queens to the angels, we cannot touch them, we cannot do anything — just smile, just walk, just act.”

For Nawat, he often sees positive qualities among Filipina  titleholders.

“This is the thing we want to collaborate and work together on, this is the value of the beauty queen,” he said. “Not only the crown, and then smile. With so many problems around and so many people taking care of her too much, [she should have purpose].” 

Emma made her advocacy central to her journey, calling for accountability and action against corruption in the country, an issue that places Filipino lives at risk, she emphasized. 

For Pampanga’s pride, maximizing her reign also means embracing every opportunity that comes with its influence, including its business side. She recalled conducting a live event to raise funds for the victims of consecutive earthquakes and typhoons in the Visayas. 

“That meant a lot because in this trying time, after the earthquake, after the flood, sometimes that is all we need,” Emma said. “So that is what I am saying, we just need to use the platform that we are given in the right way.” – Rappler.com