How Myrna Esguerra turned her wait for Miss International into a year of purpose, growth

November 7 ------ It’s been more than a year since Myrna Esguerra was crowned as the Philippines’ representative for Miss International 2025. Now, she’s all set for the pageant’s coronation night, carrying with her reflections on patience and a firm resolve to strengthen a cause.

For the 24-year-old beauty queen from Abra, the months she spent waiting were far from idle. To her, it was not merely a period of preparation, but an opportunity to immerse herself in the country’s diverse culture and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by its communities.

“Because it’s really all about perspective, and the way I see it, it’s an advantage for us because I was able to do everything and prepare everything in one year. And right now, if there’s going to be a mistake, actually, there will not be a mistake because we are so prepared for everything, everything is in place,” she said.

Myrna also shared that during this time, she and her team were able to travel across different parts of the country to conduct community outreach programs and charity visits. “I am so proud that in one year, my team and I were able to visit the three major islands of the Philippines — Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — and witness the beauty of the country, the culture of the T’boli in South Cotabato, the charm of Santa Fe in Bantayan Island, and the smiles of children from World Vision Philippines, SOS Pilipinas, and other communities across the nation,” she shared.

Championing quality education

Beyond engaging with the community, Myrna’s year of waiting became a way to strengthen the foundations of the advocacy she will bring to Miss International, a pageant known for supporting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

When asked which SDG she intends to highlight in the competition, the beauty queen shared that she will be advocating for SDG 4 or quality education, drawing inspiration from her own experiences growing up that fueled her passion for the cause.

Myrna recounted how, to help support her family and education, she began taking on various side hustles and jobs as early as her elementary years. Among these were selling candies in school during lunch breaks, online selling, working in a coffee shop, and later, part-time hosting and freelance modeling. “I’m doing this to help my family and also support my studies. And I am very fortunate because I have 16 siblings and I am the only one who was able to graduate with a four-year degree in college. And because of that, I am now a passionate advocate of Sustainable Development Goal Number 4, that’s quality education,” she said.

She stressed that refining this advocacy and immersing herself in different cultures have been at the core of her year-long preparation for the pageant. Myrna explained that she hopes to use her platform to make an impact on children’s lives and to deepen her understanding of the barriers that hinder access to quality education.

Source: rappler.com