‘I am here not because of my own strength or beauty, but only by the grace of God. I hope that even beyond the crown, I will be remembered as someone with great faith and a big heart.’
Baguio City’s Gwendoline Meliz Frias Soriano emerged as the night’s biggest winner after being crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2026 at the 62nd Binibining Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night, where she also earned the honor of representing the Philippines at Miss International. Soriano impressed throughout the competition, advancing from a strong field of 35 candidates before securing a place in the top 12 and eventually the final four.
In the question-and-answer portion, Gwendoline was asked, "What future do you envision for yourself and how will the Binibining Pilipinas title help you get to that destination?"
She answered, "My ambition is to be an aspirational leader, and with a Binibini crown, hopefully, I get to inspire people to believe in the beauty of their dreams and to remain faithful. I am here now not because of my own strength, not because of my own beauty and skills, but only by the grace of God. And I am here to share that hope, that message, that hopefully, even after this and beyond the crown, I will be remembered as someone who has great faith and a big heart.”
The evening also crowned Sasha-Juli Belle Penuliar Lacuna of Tarlac Province as Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2026. Julianne Raine Amigo Antonio of Dumaguete City finished as first runner-up, while Tracy Mae C. Sunio of Bacolod City was named second runner-up.
The annual pageant celebrated not only the search for new titleholders but also the enduring legacy of Binibining Pilipinas, bringing together former queens and international beauty royalty for a night of glamor and tradition.
Hosting the coronation were Binibining Pilipinas alumnae MJ Lastimosa, Miriam Quiambao, Nicole Cordoves and Catriona Gray; while reigning Miss International Catalina Duque of Colombia and Miss Globe Chayathanus Saradatta of Thailand joined the celebration as honored guests.
Duque and Saradatta were part of the board of judges, headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros. Also included in the panel were Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz, Miss International 2005 Precious Lara Quigaman, actress Janine Gutierrez, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, and Erika Lipton, wife of U.S. ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton.
