Crowned and committed

Newly crowned Reina Hispanoamericana 2025, Dia Mate PHOTO FROM INSTAGRAM/DIAXMATE

Mate followed the footsteps of Winwyn Marquez, who first brought home the prestigious title in 2017.

Mate’s crowning moment during the pageant’s coronation night held February in Bolivia PHOTO FROM INSTAGRAM/RHISPANAOFICIAL

Besides the crown, Mate also brought home the Best National Costume award and a Top 5 finish in the Miss Turismo competition from Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

At her homecoming press conference, Mate expressed gratitude as she reflected on her experience.

"I am so happy. Of course, physically tired. Right after the coronation, the first thing I did was sleep. But overall, I feel energized. I am filled with overwhelming emotions still because every day I receive comments from people saying, 'You made us so proud,' and 'You brought pride to the Philippines.' Those beautiful messages boost my confidence, and I get to see the impact I've made," she shared.

With her victory, Mate joined Marquez in earning the moniker "Latina Slayer."

"When I think about the word Latina Slayer, I really think about Winwyn. It's such a big unofficial title to hold because it means you made an impact and a difference in the pageant industry. Winning against Latinas, who come from the top pageant countries in the world, is not an easy feat," Mate said.

"For me, I am more inspired, I'm more confident, and I want to hold this title with responsibility alongside the crown. It proves that despite being Filipinas, despite being shorter in the Top 7, we were still able to get the crown — just by using personality and kindness," she added.

Mate admitted she arrived in Bolivia with no expectations of winning but was determined to embrace the journey.

"I was just so grateful to be there and excited for the journey ahead. My mindset when I got there was that no matter if I won or not, I wanted to grow as a person and truly enjoy what I was doing," she explained.

"The beauty of being a beauty queen is not only representing your country; it's about representing what you fight for and who you are. I wanted to showcase that on the Latin American stage — and I did. Now, we have the crown," Mate proudly added.

Her biggest takeaway from the competition? A newfound appreciation for the warmth and camaraderie of the Latin American community.

"In the pageant world, Latinas can seem super intimidating, but this competition showed me that they are so kind and loving — just like us. They want to befriend everyone, and we shouldn't have any preconceived notions about them. We should just be friends with them," she noted.

With the Reina Hispanoamericana crown now in her possession, Mate is ready to embark on a new mission of cultural exchange. The Reina Hispanoamericana Organization, in collaboration with the ALV Pageant Circle, has exciting plans for her reign.

"I'm excited to share that I will be going back to Latin America this year to travel around and visit different countries, learning more about their culture and sharing Hispanic culture and love with the rest of the world," she revealed.

"I also plan to try more Latino food, meet more Latinos, and learn more Spanish. I'll be getting a Spanish coach so I can be more fluent when I go back to Bolivia and visit these Latino countries," she added.

Beyond Latin America, Mate also hopes to travel across Asia to promote Hispanic culture and highlight the importance of Reina Hispanoamericana on a global stage.