Meiji Cruz, Miss CosmoWorld 2022

One of the biggest concerns faced by most beauty pageants, male or female, especially those in their introductory editions, is the turnout of contestants. Without much background, most new competitions attract little participant interest, even in a supposedly pageant-crazed nation like the Philippines. Sadly, the quality of candidates dictates how fans will eventually judge pageants, whether they are major or minor competitions.

This is why it is a major surprise to most people how Miss CosmoWorld Philippines gathered a stellar roster of beauties for its inaugural search.  Aside from this year’s harvest of nationwide aspirants reaching a respectable number of 21, what’s more, surprising is the quality of those who wanted to win the prestigious crown.

“Our auditionees reached far more than the number of candidates we eventually chose to make official,” reveals Meiji Cruz, the reigning Miss CosmoWorld and the Philippine search’s National Director. “Pero, we decided to keep our roster to only the best of the best. Ayaw namin ng masyadong maraming candidates tapos mag-su-suffer naman yung quality dahil the rest are mediocre.  That’ll be a waste of their (candidates’) time and resources and ours,” Cruz said.

Elda Aznar

Gezza Avila, Quezon Province

Rian Maclyn dela Cruz, Malolos, Bulacan

Roella Frias, Calumpit, Bulacan

Miss CosmoWorld is a Malaysia-based pageant that was little known in the Philippines until Cruz won the top international crown last year.  The pageant espouses women's empowerment through financial literacy, which makes perfect sense since it offers the most significant prize package in pageantry.  For bagging the 2022 plum, Cruz went home with roughly P25 million in total monetary rewards.

“As the pageant’s National Director, I’d like to replicate the same kind of generosity that our Malaysian counterparts have shown to me as a pageant winner last year.  This is why I decided to give a P1 Million cash prize to whoever will inherit my crown on top of the other prizes she will get for winning,” the wealthy beauty queen declares.  She adds: “I am fortunate to have gathered sponsors not just for mounting this year’s competition but also for the prizes, and they are all fully committed to the cause of financial literacy. I am truly thankful that those supporting us, including the sponsor of our top prize, have stood firm in their commitments to join us in this cause.”   

Jasmine Omay, Carrascal, Surigao del Sur

Vivian Hernandez, Quezon City

Aliya Rohilla, Albay

Sheryl Velez, Mandaluyong City

Whether it is their agreement with the advocacy of financial literacy, the encouraging prospects of following in Cruz’s footsteps as the international winner, or the beautiful pot awaiting the new queen, aspirants of varying pageants' exposures and backgrounds naturally showed great interest in the new contest.  Among those who make up the early favorites’ lists are a couple of Binibining Pilipinas alumnae, some provincial pageant veterans, first-timers, and even a trending multi-pageant joiner who has now gotten her chance at a crack for the crown.

Among this year’s favorites are: Davao del Sur’s Elda Aznar; Malolos, Bulacan’s Rian Maclyn Dela Cruz; Calumpit, Bulacan’s Roella Frias; Carrascal, Surigao del Sur’s Jasmine Omay; Quezon Province’s Gezza Avila; Quezon City’s Vivian Vargas Hernandez; and Mandaluyong City’s Sheryl Patalinhog Velez, playing the underdog card.  

Whoever will be hailed as this year’s Philippine bet to the quest for the queen of the cosmos will also get to wear a P2 million crown designed by Manny Halasan.