5 things to know about Filipino star Emma Tiglao, the winner of Miss Grand International 2025

Now here’s a girl on fire! Beauty queen-cum-journo Emma Tiglao won herself the title of Miss Grand International 2025 this week. And, in doing so, she made history as the second consecutive winner of the pageant to come from Philippines; her predecessor is CJ Opiaza , who won in 2024.  

Miss Grand International is a stage for peace, says its website. It aims to raise awareness and inspire change in the world. This year, the finals were held in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 18.

Tiglao wore an outfit by Filipino designer Rian Fernandez that was inspired by the phoenix. “This majestic custom gown by Rian Fernandez exudes queenly grandeur, crafted in a fiery burnt orange that symbolizes the regal rebirth of a phoenix returning to triumph,” Fernandez’s Instagram post reads.

She proved herself an articulate speaker when during the Q&A segment, she was asked: “Scammers are an online threat, a form of warfare, often tied to human trafficking that has global consequences. Countries such as South Korea and USA have launched severe crackdowns. What penalties do you think could help dismantle these operations?”

She said: “As someone who reports these kinds of stories, I really want to use the power of balance — us people, to be educated and aware for us to not be scammed, and the help of the government, to enhance their justice system — for the scammers to be behind bars, to be accountable.”

“Because one day, I hope that we will live in a peaceful world where no one should deceive just to survive,” she added.

She looked the part when she won the crown, but who is Emma Tiglao? Here are five things you need to know about her:

1.    She is from Pampanga, Philippines:  Tiglao was born on December 8, 1994, and is a native of Mabalacat City, Pampanga. 

2.    She has three siblings – and she is the youngest of them. In a vlog, she said that despite being the youngest she isn’t a brat because of how she was raised, to practice gratitude and contentment.

3.     She is a graduate of tourism management. She went to Holy Angel University, where she learnt and began to greatly appreciate Filipino hospitality, culture, and global representation.

4.      This was not her first rodeo: She represented the Philippines in Miss Intercontinental 2019, in Egypt, and got all the way to top 20.

5.      She is a model as well as a TV anchor for a network in the Philippines.