Eva Patalinjug: “I already won even before I lost”

CEBU, Philippines — It seems 2018 is not the year for the Philippines to take home its first Miss Grand International crown.

Cebuana Eva Psychee Patalinjug failed to clinch the crown and ended her Miss Grand International journey early on in the coronation night held Thursday, October 25, at the One Entertainment Park in Yangon City, Myanmar when the Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2018 title-holder failed to make it to the Top 20 finalists.

For its sixth staging, the Miss Grand International Top 20 candidates were pre-judged and are made up of the highest-scoring candidates during the interviews, activities, and preliminary competitions.

Although she recovered well, Eva’s slip down the runway during the preliminary competition on October 23 made rounds on social media. While the 24-year-old’s misstep wouldn’t be considered a fall, it was conspicuous enough to gain traction from critics and pageant fans.

Her national costume – a collaboration among Philipp Tampus who made the gown, Roy Erwin Tizon for the headdress, and Christopher Munar for her earrings – inspired by the Philippines’ Pearl of the Orient Seas moniker also took a beating among pageant followers for looking “terrible.”  On the comments section for Eva’s national costume photo uploaded on the Miss Grand International Facebook page, netizens called the gown plain and lacking in surprise factor. There were those though, who praised Eva for her execution and grace.

Other netizens credited Eva’s loss to “lack of preparation,” saying that she didn’t seem to have worked out enough. They also described Eva’s performance as “mediocre” and that there was no “hunger” nor “enthusiasm.” A few mused that it was the styling that brought Eva’s failure to penetrate the Top 20, or that the Mutya ng Pilipinas Pacific International 2014 title-holder did not have the aura nor the physique that the 2018 court seemed to show off. One comment said that Eva had peaked before the preliminaries began, but ran out of steam as the finals neared.

The coronation, meanwhile, was quite dramatic with Clara Sosa of Paraguay fainting upon being proclaimed as Miss Grand International 2018 by host Xian Lim. Fortunately, Sosa recovered in a bit and was crowned by outgoing queen Maria Jose Lora. Completing her court are India’s Meenakshi Chaudhary as first runner-up, Nadia Purwoko from Indonesia as second runner-up, Nicole Colon Rivera of Puerto Rico as third runner-up and Haruka Oda of Japan as fourth runner-up.

Amidst the mixed reactions and the fact that the Philippines has yet to win Miss Grand International’s Golden  Crown, Eva, a registered nurse and an aspiring lawyer, says that she was still able to fulfill her purpose.

On her Instagram handle, Eva, who posted a video of her holding the Philippine flag, wrote that she cried because of the love and support she felt all around her. It was showered with loving comments from fellow beauty queens like Nicole Cordoves, Karen Ibasco, Karen Gallman, MJ Lastimosa, Thia Thomalla, Sharifa Akeel, Steffi Aberasturi and Neesha Murjani.

“Crowns and titles are not a measurement of one’s capability to do great things,” Eva wrote.  “I have served my purpose and that purpose is to show courage, determination, beauty and substance as a Filipina. To be an inspiration to all people from all walks of life. To never give up in life everytime you fall.”

“I cried not because I felt bad but because I can really feel the love and support from the people all over the world, specially my loving country, Philippines! That being said, I already won even before I lost. Hanggang sa huli, mahal ko kayo!” said Eva.