Once a binibini, always a binibini

THE Bb. Pilipinas Gala 2026: Road to the Crown showed off the pageant’s current 2026 contenders in their swimsuits and evening gowns. The gala, held in Novotel Manila in Araneta City, Cubao, served as the pageant’s preliminary competition. The winners of these rounds, as well as the winner of the Face of Binibini contest (voted on by the guests at the gala) will be announced on the Coronation Night on July 18.

More than the preliminary rounds, the gala served as a launch for a new program, the Bb. Pilipinas Sisterhood Hall of Fame, which honors past winners of the pageant. The first induction to the Hall of Fame was held the same evening — Bb. Pilipinas 1969 winner Gloria Diaz. Ms. Diaz went on to join and win the Miss Universe pageant that same year, becoming the first Filipina to win the crown. Since then, she has been active in showbiz and society. She was presented with a tiara on a silk cushion by Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2010 Venus Raj (who finished 4^th runner up in the Miss Universe 2010 pageant) and Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. executive committee member Pia Roxas Ojeda-Banal.

In a speech, Ms. Diaz said, “It’s kind of nostalgic.” She recalled her daughters (showbiz personalities Isabelle and Ava Daza) not quite understanding her status as a former Miss Universe, and who would be surprised how Filipinos abroad recognized her. “As if it was today that I won Miss Universe,” she said.

“It’s not like being a congressman or a senator. They said it’s forever,” she said.

CHANGING BUT NOT
Ms. Roxas Ojeda-Banal told BusinessWorld about the changes in the pageant’s format: “We honed in on what we know is our strength: that’s really the sisterhood.”

“I talk to some of the girls, and what they really take with them are the friendships, and being sisters. Not just with their batch, but also with our past queens,” she said. “Moving forward, what we really want to focus on is celebrating our girls, whether they be in the current batch or in the past batch, and really giving them the opportunity to shine.

“Once a Binibini, always a Binibini,” she said.

“I’m sure the young people [are] now managing it with the new and exciting ideas: so far, so good,” said Ms. Diaz during her speech. But the more things change, the more they stay the same. In an interview after the gala, Ms. Diaz said that while times may have changed since her reign as beauty queen, “It’s still a pageant. You still choose the prettiest. There’s no difference. You don’t choose the ugliest, or something. It’s still the prettiest who wins.”

The Bb. Pilipinas National Costume Competition will be held on July 2 at the New Frontier Theater in Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City, while the Coronation Night will be held on July 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. — Joseph L. Garcia