Why these Supranational winners keep coming back to the Philippines

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Beyond pageant duties, Miss Supranational Harashta Haifa Zahra and Mister Supranational Fezile Mkhize find more reasons to visit the Philippines again

MANILA, Philippines – Food has played a huge role in luring reigning Miss Supranational Harashta Haifa Zahra and Mister Supranational Fezile Mkhize back to the country.

The two returning international titleholders shared there are Filipino dishes that they really enjoyed during their previous visits.

“I tried adobo. I tried everything adobo — there’s pork, there’s beef, there’s chicken. There’s even vegetables. I just love the flavor,” said Mkhize, the first South African winner of the male tilt.

Mkhize also revealed that his recent trip to the Philippines was already his third visit to the country. He was just in Manila last month for the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide 2025 finals on April 28.

But the medical doctor’s first visit to the Philippines was in 2019 when he represented South Africa at the Mister World pageant held in Manila. He even extended his stay after the contest had already ended.

Zahra, for her part, shared that Miss Supranational Asia and Oceania Alethea Ambrosio brought her to Jollibee to try a variety of menu items, and particularly loved Chickenjoy.

The Filipino beauty queen was one of Zahra’s closest friends during the 2024 competition in Poland, along with Japan’s Yuki Sonoda, who was also with them in her Manila trip in December last year.

Mkhize and Zahra were reunited in the beauty queen’s home country of Indonesia before flying together to Manila on May 5. 

“I flew out to Indonesia [from the Philippines] to go fetch our queen to make sure that she could come in. I haven’t gone back to South Africa,” the pageant king shared.

The two arrived in Manila to welcome the two new Filipino Supranational bets who were proclaimed at the conclusion of the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide 2025 and Miss Universe Philippines 2025 competitions last week.

Reigning Miss Supranational Harashta Haifa Zahra (center) with Filipino Supranational queens Tarah Valencia (left) and Katrina Llegado

Katrina Llegado was crowned The Miss Philippines-Supranational 2026 after the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 finals on May 2, while Kenneth Cabungcal received the Mister Pilipinas-Supranational 2025 title at the culmination of the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide 2025 contest on April 28.

But it will not be Llegado who will join Cabungcal in Poland for the twin international competitions. Her predecessor Tarah Valencia is the one who is set to compete in the 2025 Miss Supranational pageant, while she is already reserved for next year’s contest.

Also with the two international titleholders in their Manila trip was Miss Supranational president Gerhard von Lipinski, who welcomed Valencia, Llegado, and Cabungcal to his organization.

Zahra told both Valencia and Llegado: “When you go there, please think that this is your new family. This is your first time going abroad with new people from different countries, just be yourself. Because we are looking for someone [who is] really authentic, and not try to be someone else.”

Miss Supranational Harashta Haifa Zahra (second from right) and Mister Supranational Fezile Mkhize (second from left) with 2025 Filipino bets Kenneth Cabungcal (left) and Tarah Valencia (right) and Miss Supranational president Gerhard von Lipinski

Mkhize congratulated the Philippines for having Cabungcal. “You have somebody who is not just genuine, who has a great story, but someone who is also confident to step forward and engage with the media and to be able to talk about all sorts of topics,” he said.

Valencia is aiming to give the Philippines its second Miss Supranational win. Mutya Datul posted the country’s first victory more than a decade ago in 2013.

Cabungcal will try to exceed his predecessor Brandon Espiritu’s second runner-up placement and record the Philippines’ first-ever Mister Supranational victory.

The Miss Supranational 2025 finals will be held in Malopolska, Poland, on June 27 (June 28, Philippine time), while the Mister Supranational 2025 contest will conclude on June 28 (June 29, Pjilippine time) in the same southeastern Polish province. – Rappler.com