Beauty and brains Bianca Ysabella Rei Olay Ylanan is this year's Miss Universe Philippines Quirino.

During the recent meet-and-greet event in Quezon City, Bianca was asked to choose between crown and love. This was one of the questions asked for 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray upon arriving in the Philippines following her victory in Thailand.

"There are crazy things we do for love. But right now, it would be the crown because I know my partner is backing me up with whatever I do. This is my goal now. This is what fulfills me now. So the crown," said Bianca.

On the craziest thing she has done for love, Bianca answered: "My partner is here with me. Probably, packing up our things, we sold our house and moved here to pursue my interests. So the craziest thing we have done is move halfway across the world to find our passions. You grow as a couple, but must grow individually because that makes you stronger. If I am flourishing as a beauty queen, he is pushing on his own stuff as well."

Her boyfriend supported Bianca's journey to the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 pageant in May. "I just want her to know that she always got my full support. I am willing to wait for her. So I sold our house so that I could come here. Anything she wants to do, she always has my 100 percent support," said Jim Wyndham, who has been in a relationship with Bianca for almost three years. They met at work. 

Bianca also shared what she could promise to her fans and supporters. "I promise you'll see my best and the best version of myself in every step, in every competition." 

On joining the prestigious pageant, Bianca said that the Miss Universe Philippines crown would help her become an empowered and dedicated woman committed to serving and advocating for Filipino children’s well-being.

Hailing from Maddela, Quirino, Bianca spent her formative years under STEM strand at Dominican School and UST Junior and Senior High School. She regularly returned home to Quirino for school breaks and holidays, during which she spent time with family, friends, and the community.

Bianca, 25, decided to study abroad to broaden her horizons, experience the world, and grow her independence. Bianca was accepted to study Bachelor of Science in Laboratory Medicine at the University of Tasmania in Australia, and moved in 2020. 

Just two weeks later, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and she could not see family and friends for the entirety of her studies. Despite the challenges of being alone in a foreign country, she thrived, becoming the beloved child of the Filipino community in Tasmania. 

In her spare time, Bianca worked in a museum and gallery to immerse herself more in culture and the arts and babysat part-time, driven by her love of children.

After graduating and becoming accredited with the Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists, Bianca decided to return home in late 2024. She accepted the invitation and seized the opportunity to compete in her first pageant, the Miss Universe Philippines. 

Bianca made lifelong friends and developed exciting career opportunities abroad, but she felt a calling to return home, where she believes her training can better help those in need.

She hopes to use the platform to further advocate for Filipino children’s health and nutrition, which has profound meaning to her family and is close to her heart, as her mother is a known expert in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. 

Bianca has been exposed to the plight of sick children and the burden of malnutrition while accompanying her mom on hospital rounds from an early age, helping her mom by playing with and cheering up the patients.

Beyond her pageant aspirations, Bianca is at a crossroads. She is currently debating whether she can make the most impact by pursuing her passion for microbiology and laboratory work or by undertaking further studies to become a medical doctor, like her mother, grandmother, and aunts before her, all strong female role models.