Winner Jung veteran of beauty pageants
(Photo Courtesy)
KANANGA, Leyte-Despite not feeling well, Natasha Jung was able to bring home the Miss Kananga crown 2023 during a glittering coronation night held at the town gymnasium on December 11.
Jung, representing Barangay Rizal, bested 21 other candidates from different barangays of the town for the crown, making her the official candidate of Kananga for next year’s Miss Universe Philippines.
She aced the final question on how she would use the crown as Miss Kananga to inspire others and drive a meaningful change.
“If I win the Miss Universe Kananga, I will champion resilience and empowerment for broken families. My goal is to support them, nurture their inner strength, and build a supportive community. Let’s turn difficulties into opportunities fostering unity and strength,” she said.
Jung answers to the final question “if crowned Miss Kananga, how do you plant to leverage your unique background and experience to inspire others and drive meaningful change” that sealed her winning of the crown.
She also won several special awards which also including two of the major awards- best in evening gown and Miss Photogenic.
“I’m honored to represent Kananga’s spirit—a reflection of strength and resilience—on the Miss Universe Philippines stage,” Jung said after winning the crown.
“To my co-candidates, thanks for the friendship and memories. I will treasure the memories we made; however, I genuinely wish we could have spent more time together. Remember, we are all queens in our own right, and I wholeheartedly believe everyone deserves a crown. I truly mean it,” the newly-crowned Miss Kananga added.
Jung is not new in national pageantry.
She joined the Miss World 2021 where she placed among the top 10 for the best in the national costume category. A year later, she competed at the Binibining Pilipinas and was crowned as Miss Caloocan 2023.
April Tanhueco, municipal tourism officer, in her message said that Jung’s winning the crown is a testament to the beauty and goodness that resonate within the heart of the Kananga people.
“As you embark on the journey to represent our town on the national and global stage in Miss Universe Philippines 2024, we have full confidence that you will eloquently showcase the spirit and grace of our community,” she said.
Tanhueco assured the newly- crowned queen on the full support of the local government in her quest for the Miss Universe Philippines.
Also crowned were Jhy-ross Yboa, a crowd favorite, as Miss Philippines Kananga and will represent the town in The Miss Philippines pageant in 2024 whose winners will have the chance to represent the country at the Miss Supranational, Miss Charm, and Miss Asia Pacific International.
Just like Jung, Yboa, who represented Brgy. Lim-ao, is not new in pageantry.
She is the current Mutya han Samar titleholder.
In 2018 she joined the Miss Teen Pintados search where she landed 4th runner-up. In 2022 she bagged the crown as Miss Manaragat 2022 in Catbalogan City.
This 2023 she joined the Miss Pintados search and was crowned as 3rd runner-up.
Yboa also bagged the Best in Swimsuit major award, including Miss EDC and Miss Paytaca special award.
Charlene Angel Custodio of Lonoy village was crowned as Miss Tourism Kananga.
She also bagged the Miss Kawa café. Her previous feats in pageantry was being crowned as Miss West Leyte Colleges 2023 second runner-up in April and Miss EVSU-OC 2023 second runner-up last November.
All winners received cash prizes.
The event was hosted by beauty queen MJ Lastimosa and television host Sean Kyle Ortega.
(ROEL T.AMAZONA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
