Sleep-deprived after a long-haul flight to Manila, Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel looked as vibrant as ever as she faced Filipino fans Wednesday evening at Okada Manila’s grand ballroom during the Miss Universe Philippines gala night.
By Alex Y. Vergara
“I’m so excited to be in the Philippines,” said R’Bonney Gabriel, Miss Universe 2022. “They are asking me if I’m tired. I’m not tired because I’m so excited to be back in the Philippines. I have been waiting to come to this beautiful country. It has been five years since I last visited and I have so many memories of visiting my father’s country [while] growing up as a child.”
Sleep-deprived after a long-haul flight to Manila, an obviously buoyed R’Bonney looked none the worse for wear as she faced Filipino fans Wednesday evening at Okada Manila’s grand ballroom during the Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) gala night.
Wearing a glittery ’50s-inspired silver terno by Mark Bumgarner, the half-Filipino, half-American beauty queen, her hair brushed up and tied in a tight bun, basked in the adulation of beauty contest junkies who cheered her on earlier while she was entering the ballroom. Some even stopped the beauty queen to get selfies with her. R’Bonney, who hails from Texas, gamely obliged, smiling, air-kissing and pursing her lips for the phone cameras.
“As a half Filipina, half-American, I find it lucky to be Filipina because I would say that we are one of the best countries that actually put our all into pageants,” R’Bonney added. “The Filipino people have given me so much support as I trained for Miss Texas, as I trained for Miss USA, and for Miss Universe. I want to thank you for the love and support.”
R’Bonney, who’s on a weeklong visit to the country to grace a series of events and activities, particularly the culmination of this year’s search for Miss Universe Philippines, is accompanied by Miss Universe Organization (MUO) officials, including president Paula Shugart, outgoing talent director Esther Swan and Thai businesswoman Anne Jakrajutatip, the pageant’s new owner.
On hand to welcome them were MUP officials led by national director Shamcey Supsup-Lee, creative director Jonas Gaffud and fashion designer Albert Andrada. Thirty-eight young hopefuls are vying for the coveted crown. The winner, who will be crowned tonight at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, will represent the country later this year in El Salvador, venue of Miss Universe 2023.
“I remember watching Miss [Universe] Philippines last year, and I thought, wow, the competition was so amazing, the production was so inspiring and the level of women that competed was top tier,” R’Bonney said. “I haven’t even won a pageant yet, but I felt so inspired to watch that competition that it gave me that extra motivation as I train for the pageant back home in Texas. So, I want to thank everybody for the continued inspiration.”
Without making it sound like an advice, but more like words of encouragement, R’Bonney reminded this year’s contestants of the hard work as well as the rewards that lie ahead. Even though only one girl will go home with the crown, pageantry affords everyone who’s brave enough to join it a “beautiful journey that helps push us forward,” she reminded.
“Not too long ago I was competing and I know the girls here have been competing for sometime now,” R’Bonney said. “And I can tell that there is so much hard work that goes into this. And I just want to commend all the girls that have put themselves out there. Pageantry has changed my life like no other and it has really pushed me to the highest truest form of myself. And I know that these girls all have their own unique journeys in doing just that.”
