Miss Intercontinental crowns Philippines' Cindy Obeñita
Cinderella Faye "Cindy" Obeñita is Miss Intercontinental 2021! She was crowned in Sinai Peninsula, Egypt on Friday, Oct. 29 (early Saturday, Oct. 30 in Manila).
The beauty pageant newbie from Cagayan de Oro bested over 70 candidates, making her the country's second Miss Intercontinental titleholder, after Karen Gallman in 2018/19.
During the Q&A portion, Obeñita was asked if speaking English is important for Miss Intercontinental.
She said: "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."
She explained that language should not be a barrier, instead, the winner should have substance.
"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. Also, it's very important, I have learned actually here in Miss Intercontinental, that a woman should possess power of substance," she said.
"And I believe I am that woman because that is the essence of a modern-day Miss Intercontinental—that we are living in a world that's very hard to survive. And as a Miss Intercontinental, I would like to be that source of hope, that source of inspiration on the true power of beauty and that is felt on the kindness of our hearts and definitely on the sincerity of our loving actions," she also added.
Aside from the crown, the 25-year-old Pinay was also named Miss Intercontinental-Asia Oceania. She was crowned by her successor Fanni Miko of Hungary.
The Miss International 2021 runners-up are: Mexico (1st runner-up), England (2nd runner-up), Seychelles (3rd runner-up), Canada (4th runner-up), and Colombia (5th runner-up).
Following the news, Binibining Pilipinas greeted the newly-crowned queen on social media.
"From wildcard to Miss Intercontinental 2021! Your Cinderella story is truly inspiring. Thank you for raising our flag, Cindy! Good morning, Pilipinas from our new Miss Intercontinental," the organization said on Instagram.
Obeñita was named as the wildcard finalist prior to the Q&A round, rounding up the Top 13 candidates in the pageant. She trended on Twitter Philippines for impressing the viewers of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant during the Q&A round.
She was asked about the importance of luxury items for a woman amid a struggling economy. Obeñita said that we are always faced with choices. But if it were her, she would rather be a woman "who understands the problems of the Philippines" and someone who will "uplift each other"
"I would be that kind of woman, to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable," she said.