Bea Rose Santiago celebrates 10th anniversary as Miss International 2013: 'I am thankful for the people that touched my heart'
Model and actress Bea Rose Santiago marked a milestone in her career as she celebrated the 10th anniversary of her winning the coveted Miss International crown.
On Instagram, the 33-year-old beauty queen honored the occasion by sharing 10 memorable photos from her coronation. The photos include handwritten letters from supporters, time with her fellow beauty queens, her welcome parade, and an image that inspired her camaraderie speech for the international pageant.
"10 years. I am thankful for the people that touched my heart and gave their support," she wrote.
"Remember that all struggles are gifts from God and all things comes together for good. As long as we have each other, there will be hope," Bea added.
In 2013, Bea Rose became the fifth Filipina to win Miss International 2013 in Tokyo, Japan, after Lara Quigaman, who won the title in 2005. Recently, Nicole Borromeo settled for third runner-up in the 61st edition of the pageant last October.
During the competition, Bea Rose dedicated her speech to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda, emphasizing the importance of international camaraderie, unity, and support of each other in building hope during this "darkest" hour of the country.
"In our darkest hours, you have opened my eyes and my heart on how important it is - if we all just support each other. If I become Miss International, I will uphold international camaraderie to sustain the spirit of sympathy and to continually share the message of hope. I believe that whatever calamity may come to us, as long as we have each other, there will be hope," she said.
Before winning the Miss International Philippines 2013 title, she was a Mutya ng Pilipinas 2011 titleholder representing the Filipino Community in Canada.
In 2018, Santiago was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and later revealed in 2020 that she underwent dialysis five times a week. Her younger brother donated a kidney to her, resulting in a successful transplant in 2022.