Cebuana beauty Maria Gigante has brought honor to the country after being crowned Universal Woman 2024 in Cambodia last March 22.
Gigante, a pageant veteran, bested 43 other beauties, including first runner-up Lisandra Chirinos from Valenzuela; second runner-up Elisa Mysyshyne from France; third runner-up Brianna Mai from Cambodia; and fourth runner-up Tavera Pena Chabelli from the Dominican Republic.
The Filipina clinched the title with her answer to the question, “What does a Universal Woman mean to you?”
“To me, Universal Woman means the future. I learned in working with this organization that I want to live in a world that is filled with respect and collaboration – one that encourages us to step into our differences instead of ignoring them and learn to harness them in order to affect positive social change. I want to be in this organization because I feel that I am not alone. I am one in an army of women who are ready and willing to make a difference; to support a world that is not only sustainable but that stands for economic progress and positive, inclusive social impact. If you are here tonight, welcome to the new era of beauty,” was how she replied.
Universal Woman is a beauty pageant with the mission to provide a “positive impact” for women and children in the world through their philanthropic works.
The pageant carries their slogan “The New Era of Beauty,” and according to their website, their purpose is to provide a platform for women who are making a positive impact on the world through their “unique brilliance and beauty.”
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