Phl’s Bea Rose is Miss International

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ Bea Rose Santiago bested 66 other beauties and was crowned Miss International 2013 at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo, Japan last night. 

Adjudged first and second runners-up were Miss Netherlands Nathalie den Dekker and Miss New Zealand Casey Radley, who was Santiago’s roommate. Also in the top five were Miss Colombia Lorena Hermida and Miss Hungary Brigitta Ötvos.

Santiago is the fifth Filipina Miss International after Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979), and Lara Quigaman (2005). 

Indeed, 2013 is the banner year for Filipina beauty queens. Earlier, Megan Young won Miss World 2013 in Indonesia and Mutya Johanna Datul was crowned Miss Supranational 2013 in Belarus.  

Other Fillipina delegates were also successful in their respective pageant stints abroad, including Ariella Arida, third runner-up in Miss Universe 2013 in Russia; Cindy Miranda, finalist in Miss Tourism Queen International 2013 in China; Angelee delos Reyes, finalist in Miss Earth 2013; and Koreen Medina, third runner-up in Miss Intercontinental 2013 in Germany.

Santiago’s speech, short but full of sincerity, touched the hearts of the judges and audience: “The whole world saw how my country suffered. One by one, other countries helped. You have opened my heart and eyes on what we can do to help each other. I will work to sustain the spirit of sympathy and spirit of hope. As long as we work together, there is hope.”

The 23-year-old, 5’9” stunner underwent months of rigorous and expert training in personality development, question-and-answer, Japanese language lessons, social graces, gym, pasarela, hair and makeup, and one-on-one coaching with Quigaman.

Unknown to many, Santiago was discovered by Renee Salud and fashion director Raymond Villanueva in 2011 during a casting call for the designer’s fashion show in Toronto, Canada where her family is based.  

She describes herself as “the girl on fire” for being an independent woman. She is presently living alone, with her pet dog Megan as her companion, in a condo unit in Quezon City.

This is her second trip to Japan where her father’s sister and family are residing. Her half-Japanese cousin is an actor.  

She is also an adventurous backpack traveler, having gone to Hong Kong, China and Malaysia.