Mutya ng Pilipinas Andrea Endicio crowned Miss Polo Universe 2026 in Dubai

September 28 ------ Another Mutya ng Pilipinas titleholder has won an international crown for the Philippines. Andrea Endicio topped the inaugural Miss Polo Universe pageant held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The courtside reporter and veteran of national beauty contests bested eight other aspirants, including a candidate representing the Filipino community in the UAE, at the international pageant’s second staging held at Movenpick Grand Al Bustan.

Endicio also bagged the lion’s share of special awards in the evening. She was Best in National Costume, Best in Production Number, Best in Evening Gown, Miss Photogenic, Face of Luxurist, and Brilliant Mind Institute Choice.

With her victory, the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant now has two international titles and one runner-up finish for this year alone. Before Endicio’s coronation in Dubai, her batchmate in the 2025 national pageant Lyndzy Maranan was crowned Miss Global Universe in Malaysia. Eunice Deza, meanwhile, finished third at the Top Model of the World competition in Egypt.

The three ladies who all copped honors for the Philippines in the international arena were initially not meant to take part in the respective international competitions that they competed in when they earned their Mutya ng Pilipinas titles last year.

Endicio was originally crowned as Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism International and was supposed to represent the Philippines at the 2026 Miss Tourism International pageant. But the international organization found a new licensee for the Philippines, ALV Pageant Circle, and her fate was in limbo.

Mutya ng Pilipinas Pres. Cory Quirino said that she and the national pageant organization were looking for a “suitable” pageant for Endicio to compete in as they sent out Deza and Maranan to competitions in Egypt and Malaysia.

Maranan was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas Luzon at the 2025 national competition, while Deza was proclaimed Mutya ng Pilipinas Visayas. These titles were awarded to the runners-up, and they were initially not set out to compete in any international competition. It has been a long journey for Endicio before she was able to clinch an international title. She joined the Miss World Philippines pageant in 2024, where she landed a Top 10 spot, then crossed over to the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in 2025, where she placed in the Top 14.

She joined the 2025 Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant, where she finally received her own national crown with the responsibility of representing the country on the international stage. But she was stripped of her title when the franchise changed hands.

Last month, Mutya ng Pilipinas signed a partnership agreement with the Miss Polo Universe Philippines Organization, and Endicio was appointed to represent the Philippines at the 2026 Miss Polo Universe pageant.

Source: inquirer.net