Mrs. Universe Philippines Pacific 2025 Jenny Ortega aims to uplift older women

October 1 ------ Jenny Mercado Ortega, recently crowned Mrs. Universe Philippines-Pacific 2025, hoped that her journey in pageantry would inspire not just young girls, but most importantly, her fellow married and older women who had once thought it was too late to pursue their dreams.

Ortega met with select members of the press on Monday, Sept. 29, in Quezon City, where she shared how she hopes to inspire other women who thought “they were past their time.” “It’s never too late. I never realized I could be this. I was always a mother. I did my best to take care of my kids. Now, I’m looking forward to doing things for myself,” she said.

Ortega is among the eight delegates who will represent the Philippines at the 48th edition of Mrs. Universe, which will be held at Okada Manila from October 1 to 9. Ortega aims to spotlight “women’s empowerment, environmental protection through sustainable fashion, and the promotion of Philippine art and culture” in her advocacy for the pageant. “My heart belongs to the culture and arts of the Philippines. I believe that by championing social awareness, we can ignite a powerful movement toward cultural enrichment for all Filipinos,” she stated.

Ortega, who is a graduate of architecture from the University of Santo Tomas and has pursued fashion designing, shared that she will be wearing her own creation for the national costume — a white Filipiniana hand-painted by her with faces of children who are beneficiaries of one of her organizations.

Enhancements are a person's choice

Meanwhile, when asked about her thoughts on women with physical enhancements having more of an edge in beauty competitions than those who did not, Ortega explained that she had nothing against it. “I don’t have anything against it. It’s a personal choice. Whatever they think will make them happy, that’s the important thing. It’s also good to see that they are now open about it,” she said, adding that she had considered going under the knife, but her husband assured her that she did not need it.

Prior to her pageantry journey, Ortega had also had a brief foray in showbiz. She used to be a dancer at the same time when Universal Motion Dancers was at its peak. She also appeared in “Mixed Nuts,” a comedy gag show on GMA with Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon. She’s also a recording artist, having released her single “In My Bed” in 2023.

Over the years, Ortega has been recognized at the Philippine Fashion Awards 2025 for Most Influential Woman in Pageantry, Fashion, Visual Arts, Philanthropy, & Business, Icons of Change 2024: Outstanding Visual Artist and Advocate, and Noble Queen of the Universe for Culture and Arts 2023, among others.

Source: inquirer.net