Newly crowned Miss Aura International 2021 Alexandra Faith Garcia has come home to a rousing welcome after she won the title in Turkey in October.
During a face-to-face press conference at Victoria Sports Tower in Quezon City over the weekend, Faith said her press event was delayed because she was tested positive for COVID-19 when she arrived in the country. But now she is okay.
Faith, 28, said that it was a wonderful moment to cap her pageant journey as she won an international crown for the Philippines.
"I gave my 100 percent to win the title. I also prayed to win Miss Aura International and this is my last pageant because I am not getting any younger," she said.
Faith got emotional when he recalled her pageant journey for 10 years.
"I've been competing since I was 18. And it was all hard work. There were moments when I cried because it's not every day that you get lucky in pageants. So my experiences in the past helped me become stronger as a candidate," she said. "Hindi talaga naging madali ang pageant journey ko dahil marami kaming mga araw na iniyak."
Faith said that she will travel the world as Miss Aura International 2021. She added she will promote agriculture to the youth, as one of her upcoming national programs here.
At the press conference, she showed the watch she received as one of the prizes in the pageant. "This watch is more expensive than the cash prize."
Faith also congratulated fellow Binibini Cindy Obenita who was crowned Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt recently.
Asked to give a message to Cindy, Faith said: "Congratulations Cindy and I hope to see you soon pagbalik mo sa Philippines. I am so proud of you. Sa tutoo lang, lahat ng girls na kasali sa Binibining Pilipinas this year deserving to have a crown kaya lang hindi talaga lahat puwedeng ipadala sa pageants abroad. I know magkakaoron si Cindy ng magandang pageant journey."
Faith partly credited the Binibining Pilipinas for winning Miss Aura International.
"I've learned a lot from Bb. Pilipinas as a candidate. From screening up to the finals, the girls are really competitive. They produce world-class candidates for international pageants," she said.
Garcia, from Olongapo City, is no stranger to beauty pageants as she had participated in several national pageants since 2012. She joined Miss Silka Philippines 2013, Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014, Reyna ng Aliwan 2015 and Bb. Pilipinas 2016 and 2020/2021 editions.
Faith was also welcomed by her trainer, pageant guru Rodgil Flores, of Kagandang Flores beauty camp; fashion designer Cathy Capistrano, and Mrs. Universe Tourism Philippines Chrizzie Escalante.
She also hopes to see her family in Olongapo City where her family is based. "Since I won the pageant, hindi ko pa sila nakikita. I hope to see them after my commitments in Manila."
Team Miss Aura International Philippines
This is the first time that the Philippines has participated in the 15-year-old international pageant. Established in 2006, the contest was formerly known as Miss Kremer International.
Miss Aura International Philippines Organization is headed by Kathleen Katniss Griffiths – a Filipino-American designer from California. Griffiths owns the Philippine franchise and also serves as the National Director. Other members of the organization are Jovita C. Laureola (Managing Director), Ferdinand Abejon (Overall Pageant Coordinator and PR Director), and Kenley Filarca (Multimedia Director).