Philippines sweeps preliminary competition for Miss Asia Pacific International…

It was a double win for Miss Asia Pacific International-Philippines 2026 Gabrielle Galapia at the preliminary competition for the Miss Asia Pacific International 2026 pageant held on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at the JPark Island Resort and Waterpark.

The 26-year-old beauty queen from Pampanga won the two major awards for the night: Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown. She was also awarded Miss BE Resorts and Hotel.

Special awards were also handed out. The Miss Congeniality title which was voted by the candidates themselves went to Miku Abe (Miss Japan) while Miss Photogenic, which was chosen by the pageant’s official photographer Mark Philip Dales, was awarded to Gia Angelique Franceschi (Miss Costa Rica).

The Swimsuit Competition’s 2nd runner-up was Valerie Přecechtělová (Miss Czech Republic) while 1st runner-up was awarded to Sasiwararin Atsawahirankarn (Miss Thailand).

Miss Thailand also won 2nd runner-up in the Evening Gown Competition while the 1st runner-up for the same category was awarded to Yunerys Liriano Stevens (Miss Dominican Republic).

Also announced that night were the top 3 Asia Pacific Rising Stars who got the highest votes, so far, in the Syspyrotech Online Voting. Leading the votes was Sandeepa Sewmini Don Samarasinghe Disanayake (Miss Sri Lanka), followed by Kaia Kwan (Miss Singapore) then Frida Sorlie Gjevre (Miss Norway). The winner will be announced on Coronation Night.

The preliminary competition was hosted by Jonathan Cimafranca and Steffi Aberasturi-Arcenas.

The candidates will be at the Gala Night for a Cause on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino.

The Miss Asia Pacific International 2026 winner will be known on the Grand Coronation Night this Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Mactan Expo Center in Lapu-Lapu City. (Niza G. Mariñas)