It’s off for battle for two Bb. Pilipinas 2019 queens as Samantha Ashley Lo and Leren Mae Bautista are set to compete at the Miss Grand International 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela and Miss Globe 2019 in Montenegro, respectively.
Of the two, Lo, a 26-year-old ESL instructor, is more pressured to win as no Filipina has ever won in Miss Grand International the last seven years it was held. The best finish for a Binibini was by Nicole Cordoves when she won first runner-up in 2016.
“I’m excited to meet my fellow candidates in Venezuela. I can’t wait to show what I have been training for the past three months, and it’s gonna be a big surprise for all of you,” Lo, wearing a green gown, exclaimed during the send-off tendered for them at Novotel Manila, in Araneta City last week.
“I did not know how to walk, put on my makeup and could not fit in with these beautiful girls who seem to know it all,” Lo confessed. “We are lucky with Leren to have each other’s back, with my Bb. Pilipinas sisters, we can’t fail to get through this,” added the Cebuana beauty.
“I’m just so lucky to represent the Philippines one more time. I’m more motivated to compete as a Bb. Pilipinas this time and to bring my second international crown,” said Bautista, a 26-year-old native of Laguna who won Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International in 2015. She aims to become the second Filipina to win Miss Globe after Ann Lorraine Colis’s feat in 2015.
Giving moral support to the two were Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados, Bb. Pilipinas International Patch Magtanong, Bb. Pilipinas-Supranational Resham Saeed, and Bb. Pilipinas-Intercontinental Emma Mary Tiglao, with Bb. runners up Andrea Abesamis, and Samantha Bernardo.
Follow Leren Mae and Samantha’s journey in Miss Globe 2019 (Oct. 21) and Miss Grand International 2019 (Oct. 25) until the Finals Night.