Miss Ilocos Norte 2021 Lyza Katrina Bautista Samalio, 19, of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines is one of the 50 women vying for the Miss Universe Philippines 2022 crown. Among her competitors is Ghenesis Padilla-Dalayday Latugat, 22, who is representing Baguio City, Philippines.

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Miss Universe Philippines 2022

From 50 candidates, only 30 will be selected to compete in the coronation night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines on April 30, 2022. The winner has big shoes to fill because if she is unplaced at Miss Universe 2022, it will end the Philippines’ 12-year winning streak in Miss Universe.

Beatrice Luigi Gomez, 27, of Cebu City, Philippines was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2021 at the Henann Resort Convention Center in Alona Beach in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines on September 30, 2021. She finished in the Top 5 at Miss Universe 2021 at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel on December 13, 2021.

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Lyza Samalio

For Samalio, one of the best parts of being crowned Miss Ilocos Norte 2021 is the scholarship she received as one of her prizes. She was a high school student when she won the title.

Amid the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Miss Ilocos Norte 2021 coronation night was held and filmed at the Pangil Rock Formation in Currimao, Ilocos Norte. On May 29, 2021, it was broadcast via by the province’s official accounts on Facebook and YouTube.

One of the judges was Miss Earth 2014 Jaime Herrell. In the question and answer portion, she asked Samalio, “If you knew you were a strong contender in this competition and suddenly found out that you were positive of COVID-19, would you keep this a secret just to stand on stage today and probably win the crown or would you tell the organizers and lose the opportunity to win Miss Ilocos Norte this year?”

“If I am positive of the virus, I would choose to tell the organizers because I believe that our health is worth more than any crown,” Samalio answered. “Our health is something that we need to treasure all the time. The crown is temporary but our health is forever.”

Runner-up to Samalio was Iweeh Hugal Alejoof Nueva Era while Julia Yzabelle Andrei Echepare was second runner-up. On June 3, 2021, the three beauty queens from Ilocos Norte were featured on the GMA-7 morning show “Unang Hirit.”

Armi Kuusela, Zorayda Andam, Rabiya Mateo

On June 28, 1952, Armi Helena Kuusela, then 17, of Finland was crowned as the first ever Miss Universe in Long Beach, California, United States. Months after her coronation, she visited Baguio City where she met Virgilio “Gil” Hilario, then 25, who became her husband.

On May 11, 2001, Zorayda Ruth Andam, then 24, of Baguio City was unplaced when she represented the Philippines at Miss Universe 2001 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Rabiya Mateo, then 24, of Iloilo City was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2020 in Baguio City on October 25, 2020 and finished in the Top 21 at Miss Universe 2020 in Hollywood, Florida, USA on May 17, 2021.