Meet the Fil-Ams competing in Miss Universe Philippines 2024

US-based beauties join the roster of Filipinas vying for the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 | Photos from: @kaylajean.official/Instagram, @jethammond/Instagram, @matea.mahal/Instagram

As Miss Universe Philippines 2024 draws nearer, more and more representatives are unveiled from the lineup, exciting pageant fans expecting a great show from the ladies.

One of them is Alexie Brooks. Although new to the pageant scene, the Filipino-American athlete from Iloilo is also making noise as a favored candidate for the crown.

Meanwhile, the latest former title holder announced to be joining the roster of participants this year is Miss Intercontinental 2015 first runner-up Christi Lynn McGarry, a Fil-Am beauty representing Taguig.

McGarry is also the first Filipina to represent the Philippines in Miss Intercontinental twice, first being sent in 2010 by the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant and again winning the crown in the 2015 Binibining Pilipinas competition.

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A post shared by Christi McGarry (@christi.mcgarry)

Apart from Fil-Ams Brooks and McGarry, California- and Florida-based Fil-Ams are also set to take center stage as they vie for the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 crown.

The Miss Philippines California, the official accredited partner of Miss Universe Philippines and sister pageant of The Miss Philippines, announced four beauties tasked to represent the Filipino community from the US state.

Two of them will compete in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 competition: 26-year-old Kayla Jean Carter who will represent Northern California and 25-year-old Janet Hammond of Southern California.

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Carter previously appeared on Netflix’s “Too Hot to Handle” while Hammond, 25, is an actress, healthcare worker, and Miss Philippines USA 2018, who hopes to be the first-ever married woman to bag the Miss Universe Philippines title.

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A post shared by Kayla Carter (@kaylajean.official)

Joining Carter and Hammond in repping the Filipino community in the US is 21-year-old neuroscience major Matea Smith, Miss Universe Philippines Florida 2024. Smith made history as the first-ever Filipino-African American to snag the Miss Filipina International crown in 2023, with roots tracing back to Pililla, Rizal.

Among the many names sounding off for this edition is Miss International 2018 first runner-up Maria Ahtisa Manalo, who was appointed as the Quezon Province representative, breaking her six-year hiatus from pageantry.

Other pageant veterans joining this year’s edition are Miss Intercontinental 2014 second runner-up Cebu’s Kris Tiffany Janson and Miss Tourism International 2019/2020 Cyrille Payumo of Pampanga, who recently represented the Philippines at the 2022 World Top Model competition. Another Binibining Pilipinas alum joining this year is Binibining Pilipinas 2022 second runner up Stacey Gabriel of Cainta, Rizal.

Victoria Velasquez Vincent, representing Bacoor, is also having a go at the Miss Universe Philippines pageant once more after being crowned Miss Universe Philippines Charity on her first attempt in 2021. In the same year, Vincent was also offered to be Miss Universe New Zealand, which she declined.

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 will crown a successor to Michelle Marquez Dee, who placed in the Top 10 at the 2023 edition in El Salvador. The winner will represent the Philippines in Mexico this year.