BINIBINING Pilipinas Intercontinental 2021 Cinderella “Cindy” Faye Obeñita, 25, from Cagayan de Oro City, won the Miss Intercontinental 2021 early Saturday morning (PH time) in Tirana, Albania, besting 70 other delegates from across the continents and succeeding Hungary’s Fanni Miko who won in 2019. No pageant was held last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cindy was asked the final question for the top 6 finalists: “As an international ambassador, do you think speaking in English is important for Miss Intercontinental? Why or why not?”
Her reply: “As an ambassador I don’t think that speaking a specific language is very important here in Miss Intercontinental or any pageant at all. As long as that woman is a woman of power and grace, commitment and intelligence, no matter what language she speaks, and that woman is actually a woman of style and substance, then she can win any pageant or any endeavor that she is into.
“Also, it’s very important, I have learned here actually in Miss Intercontinental, that a woman should possess power of substance. And I believe that I am that woman that is the essence of a modern-day Miss Intercontinental. That we are living in a world wherein it is very hard to survive. And as Miss Intercontinental, I would like to be that source of hope and inspiration on the true power of beauty that is felt in the kindness of our hearts and the sincerity of our loving actions.”
Cindy is the second Filipina to win the coveted crown after Karen Gallman’s historic victory in Manila in 2018.
Cindy, a senior tourism officer in Cagayan de Oro, was also awarded the Continental Queen of Asia & Oceania title. She also won the Popular Vote award.
Named as first runner-up was Paulina Uceda Escorcia of Mexico, also the Continental Queen for North America. The second runner-up was Romy Simpkins of England who was also Continental Queen for Europe.
Chosen as third runner-up was Kelly-Mary Anette of the Seychelles, the Continental Queen for Africa. The fourth runner-up was Canada’s Kaitlyn Li who entered the Top 6 by virtue of her Power of Beauty award. The fifth runner-up was Colombia’s Maria Paula Castillo Lopez, also Continental Queen for South America.
Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. chair Stella Marquez Araneta immediately sent a message congratulating the newest pride of the Philippines.
