ALV Pageant Circle queens share winning tips with successors

MANILA, Philippines — The culmination of every pageant journey is the representation of a delegate on finals night. After it, the time to pause and reflect comes in, regardless of the placements. Filipina beauty queens, who have recently worn the country’s sash on the global arena, share insights about their experience competing. They are the ALV Pageant Circle queens, Sophia Bianca Santos, Jayvee Lyn Lorejo and Gabrielle Galapia, who did raise the Philippine flag in their respective international pageants.

Sophia was crowned Miss Elite 2026, while Jayvee and Gabrielle were named third runners-up at Miss Global and Miss Asia Pacific International.

“I think you really need to learn how to mentally prepare yourself,” said Gabrielle in a recent victory presscon. “Let’s say that you get home at 10 p.m. And then your call time the next day is like six… and then the next day, you have to prepare for two to three hours. And (in) two hours, you’re rushing already, right? So, it’s really such a mental thing. And it happens back to back to back.”

Aside from mental resilience, as one may put it, delegates have to be on their toes in attending training on pasarela (catwalk), hair and makeup and question and answer.

 

“So, the thing that you can do is train yourself to be well under pressure and be kind as well. Because there are some people who snap whenever they, like, get stressed. They tend to get mad easily. And I mean, we understand it,” said she.

She reiterated that future queens should train themselves to take on such a load or challenges, “and not to snap because of it. So, that would be my most valuable advice,” added she.

For Sophia, she gave importance to readiness.

“I agree with what Jiji (Gabrielle) said (about preparing) mentally because (the competition) is tough and there are so many challenges.”

“I needed to do my own makeup for the everyday activities,” recalled she of her stint at Miss Elite in Egypt. “Aside from the training, from the Q&A to pasarela, you need to be ready at all (times) kasi sobrang hirap po (since it’s really challenging), pero magiging successful in the end (but you’ll get by and succeed in the end).”

For her successor and the aspiring beauty queens, Jayvee had this to say: “I think my message to my successor and to those future girls who want to compete in the pageants is you have to have a team that will support you physically, mentally, emotionally, or, let’s say, spiritually ‘coz joining in a pageant is not really easy… it’s not like going to do treadmill. Para siyang Olympics (it can be compared to a sporting event).”

With such a comparison, Jayvee shared that preparation takes months or even years, and one should have a team that will support one in the very end. With that, it feels like one’s stress has been lifted, as one could glean from her answers.

As for her two cents on once the competition begins, she remembered what previous queens had told her about the importance of sleep in connection to recharging one’s batteries.

“As long as you can sleep, you sleep. And that’s what I did,” said she. “During the rehearsals, if I was not being called, I (would) sleep… and if you sleep, then you can maybe have your energy back (for) the finals or during the performance night, and that’s what I did. Drink vitamins… and just enjoy, and show your authentic and genuine side.”

After all, pageants are not just about beauty and poise but also about personality.