After her Miss Universe Philippines stint in 2025, Valerie Pawid West is making a return to pageantry - representing her hometown of Ifugao again in Miss World Philippines (MWP) 2025.

She admits this journey feels vastly different from her last. If in Miss Universe Philippines, she was discovering herself, this time, Valerie is clearer and more deeply anchored in “why” she’s doing it.

With MWP, she says: “It’s been a really organic journey so far. We started with ‘Beauty with a Purpose,’ which is the reason I joined in the first place. I wanted to focus first on building projects, especially for underserved communities, before anything else. My training and preparation comes after," she shared.

Miss World Philippines 2025 will soon crown its new titleholder to succeed Khrishnah Gravidez, who was named Miss World Asia at the 72nd edition of the pageant in India. There are two other titles at stake: Universal Woman Philippines and Miss Global Philippines.

Having graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Delaware, Valerie was set to assume a COO role in a U.S. medical startup. She surprised herself when she decided to fulfill her mother's wishes and enter pageantry instead.

“It was such a difficult decision. Do I go straight into my degree and career, or do I take a creative detour and explore a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? I realized you’re only this age once, and I wanted to experience something different. I don’t regret it at all, ” she mused.

Raised in the U.S. by a Filipino mother who worked tirelessly as a pediatric home healthcare nurse, Valerie learned early on the value of discipline and compassion. “My mom is my biggest inspiration. She worked night shifts, seven days a week, to give me the best future possible. She never pressured me, but she always inspired me. I am an only child, so everything she did was for me. Competing now feels like my way of giving back to her," she narrated.

Of course, she also wants to showcase her Ifugao heritage in her MWP journey. There's also her advocacy with Puso Ko Foundation, where she champions inclusivity and awareness for individuals with special needs in remote communities.

“In the Philippines, there are still stigmas and old-fashioned ways of thinking about people with special needs,” Valerie explained. “Growing up in the U.S., inclusivity was part of the culture. Here, we still need to normalize acceptance, opportunity, and genuine understanding. These people are not defined by disability; they have special abilities. Some of the most brilliant and beautiful people I’ve met belong to this community. It deserves celebration, not judgment.”

Her preparations for Miss World Philippines are mindful and intentional, despite all the pressure it entails “I’m taking this differently. Who knows, this could be my last pageant, so I want to enjoy everything, savor the process, and make sure I’m presenting not just the best version of myself, but a different one,” she said. “People saw Valerie in Miss Universe Philippines. Now it’s time to introduce a new Valerie in Miss World Philippines.”

The Filipina-American beauty is also honest about the emotional bonds pageantry creates. Despite the pressure, she says sisterhood is real. “Some of my best friends came from pageantry. You spend more time with your co-candidates than with your family at some point. It’s a unique bond nobody else will ever understand,” she reflected.

Her MUPH experience was her “baptism by fire,” as she calls it. It expanded her worldview, strengthened her confidence, and anchored her sense of purpose. “It changed me completely and prepared me for all of this.”

And if fate grants her the Miss World Philippines crown? Valerie smiles. She’s keeping her heart open.

“This year taught me not to be rigid with life plans. Opportunities come in surprising ways. Who would have thought I’d be here in the Philippines competing again? Whether I win or not, what matters is the doors opened and the lives it touched for me.”

She hopes Filipinos will welcome her journey with the same warmth they previously gave her. Both her Filipino and American identities are something she will always carry with pride..“I never choose between being Filipino or American,” she said.

“Both make me who I am. And that’s exactly the version of myself I want to bring to Miss World Philippines, aside from being grateful and ready to serve.”