Jeslyn Santos gave the country another international crown when she bested 27 beauties from five continents of the world to win the fourth edition of the Miss United Continents pageant, the first Asian to make it, during the grand coronation held recently at the Palaxio de Cristal in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Santos, wearing a gorgeous blue evening gown created by Cathy Capistrano, shed tears of joy as she was crowned by outgoing titlist Nathalia Lago of Brazil. Her crown, by jewelry designer Christian Quintero, was based on the concept of the planet’s five continents.
The 23-year-old broadcast communication major and two-time candidate of Bb. Pilipinas beaity pageant, answered the final round question in the Spanish language which swayed the judges’ nod to her favor. Santos had learned some basic Spanish words and phrases related to the pageant’s theme on world unity as part of her preparation for the Ecuador pageant.
“We are one if we act and think as one. We should not treat each other as strangers and competitors but as brothers and sisters. Although great oceans and land divide us, love always unite us,” Santos said in Spanish. “I can’t believe it,” Santos, who won $10,000 and endorsements, posted in her Facebook, thanking her supporters after her crowning.
Miss Denmark Mette Riis finished as first runner-up and Miss India Lopamudra Raut was second runner up. Miss Brazil Taynara Gargantini and Miss Mexico Cynthia Duque were named third and fourth runners up while Miss Panama Rita Silvestre was fifth runner up.
Santos, a 5-foot-7 volleyball player, was in her second international pageant in Ecuador after the Miss World Peace 2015 in Hong Kong where she finished as a semi-finalist. She was appointed by John dela Vega, national director of Miss United Continents Philippines, who was also her mentor.
The Miss United Continents pageant was started in Ecuador in 2006 as a competition for delegates from the American continent but pageant director and owner, Maria del Carmen de Aguayo, decided to expand it worldwide and change it to Miss United Continents.
