Cinderella Obeñita, a 25-year-old tourism officer from Cagayan de Oro, won the Miss Intercontinental title.

The 25-year-old tourism officer from Cagayan de Oro, who was chosen to represent the Philippines in the international pageant during the Binibining Pilipinas coronation night in July, bested over 70 candidates in the competition.

Obeñita stood out in the question and answer portion. Asked if speaking English is important for Miss Intercontinental, her winning answer was: “As an ambassador, I don’t think that speaking a specific language is very important here in Miss Intercontinental or any pageant at all. As long as that woman is a woman of power and grace, commitment, and intelligence, no matter what language she speaks, and that woman is actually a woman of style and substance, then she can win any pageant or any endeavor she is into.”

The Binibining Pilipinas pageant, which was Obeñita’s first try at national pageants, earned her the highest number of fan votes, which paved the way for her wildcard 13th spot for the semifinals. Ultimately, she was named as one of the six titleholders.