Miss Filipina International ‘23 launched with new owner and pageant team

From left: Ronald Ramores, Lisa Lew, new pageant owner Geoffrey Jimenez and other of the production team Janet Nepales and Joey Galon. (Photo by Joe Cobilla)

LOS ANGELES – Still reeling with excitement over the historic win of the first Filipino American to be crowned Miss Universe, members of the Fil-Am community this week celebrated the 10th year of Miss Filipina International – now owned by a success-driven immigrant and run by a powerhouse team.

The grand media launch of the 2023 pageant was held Thursday evening (Friday in Manila) at the posh Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, which the new owner, Geoffrey Jimenez, described as “befitting our search for the best and brightest Filipina who is beautiful inside and out.”

“We will go all out to tap the Beverly Hills setting as a marvelous opportunity to showcase the culture, fashion and vibrancy of the Philippines and its people through our candidates,” Jimenez said.

The new leadership wants to create a platform for young women to showcase their talents and abilities, and to provide opportunities for personal and professional growth.

The pageant also aims to celebrate unique cultural perspectives and “foster a community of strong, confident, and culturally proud women who can inspire others to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential.”

The son of a farmer from Nueva Ecija, Jimenez rose to become the CEO of more than 30 hospice and home health agencies across California and the Midwest. He has become a Fil-Am community leader, philanthropist and advocate of Filipino talents.

Powerhouse team

Jimenez has partnered with a powerhouse team to produce the pageant culminating in a black-tie dinner gala coronation night on Aug. 5 at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton, home to many prestigious awards shows, including the Golden Globes.

Serving as producer is Lisa Lew, former Binibining Pilipinas International who has won eight Emmy awards for producing Judge Judy and many other top-rated shows. She was behind the decades-long running TV programs, A Current Affair and Hard Copy, as well as the Netflix special, Kardashian: The Man Who Saved OJ Simpson.

“The pageant’s mission is to empower and inspire young women to embrace their inner and outer beauty, especially their cultural heritage, to live out their full potential and show everyone who they really are,” Lew said.

Lew is the daughter of iconic lawyer and community leader Monty Manibog, the first Filipino to hold elected office in Southern California as the three-term Mayor of Monterey Park.

Pageant expert Joey Galon will be coaching and mentoring the candidates. He focuses on personal development training, motivational speaking, special events production and fashion. He served as executive director for local pageants in the Miss America program, was a staff member for Miss USA and Miss Universe, coached countless pageant delegates and judged numerous pageants across the country and internationally.

Ronald “Ron” Ramores serves as the executive coordinator of Miss Filipina International. He is the director of Human Resources for GJ Group of Companies and has vast experience in public relations, sales and marketing.

Event emcee Janet Nepales, former executive secretary of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, joined the team in a Q&A with the media during the launch.

Prizes galore

The pageant invites candidates from around the world who are at least of one-fourth Filipino descent and between the ages of 16 to 28.

The top winner will receive $10,000 cash prize plus $10,000 gift certificate from iSkin. The first runner-up, who will be crowned Miss Tourism, will receive $5,000 cash prize plus $10,000 gift certificate from iSkin. There will be a $2,500 cash prize for each of the second, third, and fourth runners-up, with a $5,000 gift certificate from iSkin for each of the 2nd and 3rd runners-up.

There are tentative plans to send the top three winners to compete in Miss Universe Philippines.

Geoffrey Jimenez with Miss Filipina International title holders. (Photo by Joe Cobilla)

Attending the media launch were beauty queens and titleholders, including former Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner, who is now a journalist, and Maureen Christa Pojas

Wroblewitz, the first Filipina to win Asia’s Next Top Model in its fifth season and is the Miss Universe Philippines 2021 first runner-up.

Also at the event were past and reigning Miss Filipina International titleholders:

Blessa Ericha Figueroa (reigning Miss MFI 2022), Kayla Usison (Miss MFI 2nd runner-up), Margaux Ugalino (Miss MFI 3rd runner-up), Ceejae Minell Delumen (Miss Teen MFI), Alicia Chelsea Buendia (Miss Teen MFI 2nd runner-up), Sarah Nunnink (Miss Tourism 2018), Heather Casignia (Miss MFI 1st runner-up 2016), Kelly Ceniza (Miss MFI 1st runner-up 2017) and Caroline Luce (Miss Teen MFI 2018 semifinalist).

More information about the pageant, including how to apply, can be found here: www.MissFilipinaIntl.com