Reigning Miss Supranational Harashta Haifa Zahra (right) and The Miss Philippines-Supranational Tarah Valencia/ARMIN P. ADINA
The Miss Supranational 2025 pageant will be held yet again in Poland this June, more than a year since Tarah Valencia‘s coronation as the Philippines’ delegate to the international beauty contest.
The tourism management graduate from the University of Baguio represented the “City of Pines” in last year’s edition of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant in May, where she was proclaimed as third runner-up.
Her placement qualified her for a national title under the pageant’s sister brand The Miss Philippines, and received the appointment as the country’s representative in the 2025 Miss Supranational pageant.
At that time, her predecessor Alethea Ambrosio was just set to compete in the 2024 Miss Supranational pageant scheduled in July. The Bulakenya economics student was crowned as The Miss Philippines in October 2023.
Aside from getting to prepare months earlier than her competitors, Valencia already has another leg up in the competition by spending time with reigning Miss Supranational Harashta Haifa Zahra when the Indonesian beauty paid a visit to the Philippines last year.
“She’s really personable, relatable, and she is someone who has a really good heart when it comes to her cause. And of course, with or without camera she is really what we call Miss Supranational,” Valencia told INQUIRER.net in an interview.
Zahra said she found Valencia to be pretty. “You are already a queen here, and you are already a winner in the Philippines, you are the winner in your country. Just believe in yourself, do what you always do. Just be authentic,” she added.
“When there’s a competition there, just remember this is not a competition. This is a gathering together with your new ‘sisters’ you met there. And just enjoy until the grand final night, and just be confident. Good luck for your journey,” Zahra continued.
Valencia said she is already giddy with excitement that she was able to receive a “basbas” or blessing from the woman whose crown she is hoping to inherit.
“We are really into the preparations already, and we’re really looking forward to meet with each other in Poland in the upcoming Miss Supranational, and most especially take to heart the advice that Tata (Zahra’s nickname) has given me,” she shared.
Valencia will try to post the Philippines’ second victory in the Miss Supranational pageant, 12 years since Mutya Johanna Datul became the first Filipino woman to bring home the crown.