Maria Cristel Antibo, 23, of Negros Occidental, 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.

Bacolod and San Carlos, Negros Occidental are sister cities of Baguio City. Although Bacolod is geographically located in Negros Occidental, the city is governmentally independent from the province.

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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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Ma. Cristel Antibo

On March 21, 2019, Antibo was crowned Kadalag-an Festival Queen 2019 in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. She bested 11 other candidates.

Northern Negros Electric Cooperative was Antibo’s sponsor at Kadalag-an Festival Queen 2019. Aside from the title, she also won several awards including Miss Photogenic, Miss Boardwalk and the Venus’ Lions Club Award.

Currently, Antibo is based in Taguig, Metro Manila. In November 2019, she started working for InfiniVAN Inc. in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig as a corporate account executive.

Antibo is the fourth person from Negros Occidental to join Miss Universe Philippines following Vanessa Marie Java Vuelban, Angela Nikki de Grano and Ramona Yamat, who competed in 2021. Also from the province, Angela Aninang was supposed to compete in 2020 but withdrew before the coronation night.

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.