Lars Pacheco (left) and author Joee Guilas

Over the Miss International Queen Pageant’s 16 editions, three Filipina transgender representatives have already brought home the crown to the country: Kevin Balot in 2012; Trixie Maristela in 2015; and Fuschia Anne Ravena last year. Those victories make the country have the most wins, next only to the pageant’s hometown, Thailand, with 4.  This year, many pundits say the Philippines has a strong chance to equalize the score with its ASEAN neighbor, with 26-year-old pageant veteran Lars Pacheco, raising the nation’s flag in the competition. 

The Thrillmaker got a chance to sit down with Lars, who has more than a hundred pageants tucked in her experience belt, before she left the country for her crack at an international crown.  With coronation scheduled soon, here’s what Lars had to say about her MIQ journey:  

Thrillmaker:  HI, LARS! FUSCHIA WON THE CROWN LAST YEAR.  DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY PRESSURE FOR THIS COMPETITION?

Lars Pacheco:  Meron pong pressure.  People are expecting a back to back and never in the history of Miss International Queen na nagkaroon ng country na nagkaroon ng dalawang taon na magkasunod na nanalo.  This time, I am pressured na makagawa ng history for the Philippines and for the history ng Miss International Queen.  If ever, yun yung legacy ko na maiiwan sa kanila.

Thrillmaker: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR ADVANTAGE OVER YOUR CO-COMPETITORS IN THIS PAGEANT?

Lars Pacheco:  I think yung lamang ko po eh yung mga experiences ko.  Ang dami ko na pong nasalihan na pageants since yun yung bread ang butter ko before. Sumasali ako sa iba’t ibang barangayan at sa tingin ko nakatulong po sa akin lahat yun kasi nga pati yung pagsali ko sa TV yung Super Sireyna, Miss Q&A, hindi na po bago sa akin yung humarap sa mga tao. Since nagv-vlog po ako, parang dagdag lang po to sa mga platform na magagamit ko if ever na manalo po ako na Miss International Queen 2023.

Thrillmaker: WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER AS YOUR POTENTIAL HINDRANCE TO BAGGING THE COUNTRY’S 4^TH MIQ CROWN?

Lars Pacheco: Lahat po kasi this year is eager mabawi yung korona sa Pilipinas. Lahat ng efforts ng girls, yun ang hindrance sa akin para maiuwi ko yung back-to-back.  Pero ang importante po dito ay alam ko po na ako, kasama ng team ko, kasama ng MIQPH organization, ginagawa po naming yung best, yung pinakatodo ng ability namin para at least mabigyan po ng karangalan ulit yung bansa natin.

Thrillmaker:  WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR WEAKNESS?

Lars Pacheco:  Siguro po yung weakness ko eh yung pag mas nanalo yung kaba pag nandun na, since kahit sanay na ako sa TV, minsan kinakabahan po ako eh.  Sa palagay ko, yun lang yung magiging weakness ko, yung kaba sometimes.  Yun po yung wino-work ko ngayon na ma-develop na wag ako kabahan. Alam ko naman pong normal lang yun.

Thrillmaker: YOU’VE ALREADY BEEN WITH YOUR BOYFREIND FOR 5 YEARS NOW.  HAS LOVE TAKEN A BACKSEAT BECAUSE OF THIS COMPETITION?

Lars Pacheco:  Hindi naman po, kasi marami akong platforms na ginagawa, meron akong business, sumasali ako ng pageants.  Siguro po na-practice ko na yung balance sa buhay ko na kaya kong ibalance yung trabaho, personal relationships with my family, with my boyfriend and yung life ko po as a contesera. Kailangan lang po ng balance para lahat mag-work out.

Thrillmaker: JUST IN CASE YOU WIN, WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU’D REALLY WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR?

Lars Pacheco:  After winning Miss International Queen Philippines, I had my homecoming in my school, when I was in high school, Dr. Yanga Colleges, they granted me a full scholarship.  Parang yung yun sign na ipa-realize ko sa mga tao na it’s never too late to finish your studies. Na kahit successful ka na, meron ka nang ibang fields na ginawa, pwedeng pwede mo pa ring balikan yung yugto ng buhay mo na yun na tapusin mo pag-aaral mo. Kasi sometimes, nail-limit tayo eh dahil bakla tayo.  Minsan kaya tayo tinatamad na mag-aral, ayaw na pumasok sa school kasi ayaw tayong payagan na pumasok na mahaba ang buhok.  So iisip na lang tayo ng pwedeng maging trabaho na pwede yung mahaba ang buhok, na pwede mong masunod yung gusto natin.  So yun yung ipaglalaban ko na magkaroon ng freedom lahat ng mag-aaral na gawin yung gusto nila as long na hindi makaka-apekto sa pag-aaral nila at sa pag-aaral nung iba. Hindi sila nakaka-perwisyo.

Thrillmaker: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO OUR KABABAYANS?

Lars Pacheco: Maraming salamat. Ramdam ko po ang suporta ng Pilipinas sa akin, marami man akong mga kontrobersiya akong kinasangkutan. Pero mas lamang pa rin po yung nagdadasal para manalo ako. Kasi po itong laban na ito, hindi ko sya tine-take na laban ko eh, laban po ito ng Pilipinas,  

Well, we’ve already seen how she did in the recent preliminaries. One thing is certain.  She surely has her eyes set on the top prize. Good luck, Lars!

NOTE: Lars Pacheco finished in the top of the Miss International Queen 2023 beauty pageant held in Pattaya, Thailand on June 24.