Gwendoline Soriano joins elite list of Binibining Pilipinas International ‘hakot’ queens

July 23 ------ Gwendoline Soriano was the big winner at the recent Binibining Pilipinas pageant, not only because she captured the main title, but also because she took home the two most important special awards of the evening—Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown.

Those accolades have put her on frontrunner status early on in the competition, staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on July 18. But only a few Bb. Pilipinas International titleholders accomplished the same feat as she did. “I’m just really happy that all the hard work really paid off tonight. And it’s not just me; it’s a collaborative effort of my team. And I wanna give all glory to God,” Soriano told Inquirer Entertainment in a post-coronation interview.

She also revealed that she was suffering from dysmenorrhea during the competition, which made her feat even more remarkable. She had shared that she endured the same menstrual inconvenience in many of her other previous pageants.

The most recent winner of the title, who was also a “hakot queen”, was Myrna Esguerra, who was crowned at the 60th edition of the national pageant in 2024. She eventually finished fifth at the Miss International pageant held in Japan last year. The chances of getting both special awards for swimsuit and gown, however, have been relatively easier for a favorite candidate in the recent editions of the national pageant, because only two titles have been handed out since 2023. Two illustrate this; two have already posted that record in just the four most recent installments of the competition.

In the editions prior to 2023, several national titles were at stake and the special awards almost always ended up with different queens. But in 2015, with five crowns up for grabs and a handful of formidable competitors, Janicel Lubina was able to top both the swimsuit and gown rounds before taking home the Bb. Pilipinas International title.

Only a few other titleholders were able to win both major special awards—Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental Gabrielle Basiano in 2022, Bb. Pilipinas World Janina San Miguel in 2007, and Miss Universe Philippines Catriona Gray in 2018. And it was also quite predictable that aside from the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards, these queens have also taken home other special titles from sponsors. In Soriano’s case, she was proclaimed by Bb. Philippine Airlines and Bb. Urban Smiles.

The other ladies in the Final Four with Soriano did not receive any other special awards—Bb. Pilipinas Globe Sasha-Juli Belle Lacuna, first runner-up Julianne Raine Antonio, and second runner-up Tracy Mae Sunio.

Soriano is hoping to keep her momentum for a period extending more than a year, because she will only be competing at the Miss International pageant’s 65th edition next year. Her Bb. Pilipinas predecessor Katrina Anne Johnson, who was Best in Evening Gown in the 2025 national pageant, will be sent to this year’s Miss International pageant.

Source: inquirer.net