Posted by Miss Tourism World 2019 Intercontinental Final on Tuesday, 8 January 2019

Filipinas are on a roll in the international pageant scene. Francesca Taruc was crowned Miss Tourism World Intercontinental in Nanjing, China last Tuesday.

Francesca was born in San Luis, Pampanga and was raised in Angeles City. She is the granddaughter of Supremo Luis Taruc, the founder of the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon (Hukbalahap) which was the biggest peasant-based resistance movement of the Philippines during World War II.

The beauty queen also received the Best Body award during the preliminary round.

Candidates from Tatarstan and Ukraine, both former Soviet republics, were named first and second runners-up, respectively.

Taruc wore a shimmery, thigh-high, red gown that featured symbols found in the Philippine flag.

In the Facebook page of designer Benj Leguiab IV, he shared that the gown was inspired by the three stars and the sun, with the left side prominently featuring cutouts of the sun’s ray and the three stars.

Taruc graduated with a degree in Communication from the Holy Angel University.

She was set to represent the country in the Miss Freedom of the World pageant in Kosovo, but she stayed to finish her studies first to fulfill the wish of her father, Romeo, who passed away in October last year.

In an Instagram post, Taruc said, “Daddy, I hope you are extremely proud. I know that you are just around and guiding us. I know that you are celebrating there in Heaven!”

Her win came less than a month after Catriona Gray bagged the Philippines’ fourth Miss Universe title in Bangkok on 17 December 2018. Gray continues to do the country proud as she is currently making waves during her media week in New York where she is residing during her year-long reign.