Revealed: Arab roots of Philippines’ new beauty queen
Video: Gazini Ganados is the Philippines’ half-Palestinian new Binibining Pilipinas
Manila: It’s her advocacy, presence, beauty and her witty answer to the make-or-break question at the Miss Philippines (Binibining Pilipinas) pageant that got her the crown on Sunday.
Now, Gazini Christiana Jordi Ganados, 23, a Filipino-Palestinian, is seen as the Philippines’ best chance to bag a Miss Universe crown yet again.
The Bb. Pilipinas 2019 and Miss Universe-Philippines titles give Gazini the right to represent her country in this year’s Miss Universe pageant.
Gazini has time to prepare to stage a back-to-back win.
And if that happens, it would be a rare feat for the Asian country known for its “mestiza” (a woman of mixed race) beauty titlists.
Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015, is Filipino-German. Before that, Venus Raj, a Filipino-Indian, won the right to represent the Philippines to the Miss Universe 2010 pageant, though she was briefly dethroned by organisers — citing citizenship issues.
Then Catriona Gray, a Filipino-Australian, was crowned Miss Universe in 2018. Gazini Ganados is Filipino-Palestinian. Catriona Gray, the Philippines’ fourth Miss Universe winner, crowned Gazini on Sunday.
Hopes are raised high that as Gazini joins the Philippines’ hyphenated beauties, another Miss Universe title would be just around the corner for the pageant-obsessed archipelago. South Korea is expected to host the pageant later this year.
Who is Gazini Ganados?
Born in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte province, to a Filipino mother and a Palestinian father, Ganados moved to Talisay City, Cebu for her sixth grade and earned a bachelor's degree in Tourism at the University of San Jose–Recoletos in Cebu City.
She competed in Miss World Philippines 2014 and placed in the Top 13. On June 9, 2019, she competed in Binibining Pilipinas 2019 and won the title of Miss Universe Philippines 2019.
Gazini honoured her Middle Eastern roots by chosing to do a belly dance during an earlier stage of the talent competition.
On Tuesday, June 11, Gazini shared her hopes of one day meeting her Palestinian father. According to her, she has never known her father from the day she was born.
"I'm in no rush of meeting him. But someday, finally, I will have the time to complete myself, my soul, and to thank him for the genes," Ganados told Manila's ABS-CBN channel.
Gazini grew up with the family of her mother Carmencita Ganados, who is from Dapitan, Zamboanga.
Her title gives Gazini the right to represent her country in this year’s Miss Universe – the world’s biggest and most prestigious pageant. Gazini has time to prepare to stage a back-to-back win for the Philippines.
On Sunday, Gazini also won the following awards:
- Best in Long Gown
- Face of Binibini (Miss Photogenic)
As a teenager, Gazini won a number of titles beauty titles. These include:
- Miss Milo Little Olympics 2011
- Second runner-up in the Reyna ng Aliwan 2015
- Miss Cesafi 2016
Her title gives Gazini the right to represent her country in this year’s Miss Universe – the world’s biggest and most prestigious pageant. Gazini has time to prepare to stage a back-to-back win for the Philippines.
Question-and-answer
During the national competition, she was asked how she hopes for more women to be present in the workforce. Ganados responded:
"...If I win the crown tonight, what I will do is to promote my advocacy. My advocacy is for us women to fight for our rights and for elderly care and for us to be able to know that someone is loving and someone is pushing us to whatever ambitions we have. We will be able to rise from our decisions to whatever dreams that we have, goals that we have, and we will achieve it because of those values, those wisdoms that they gave us..."