Single mother Eileen Gonzales bested 18 other aspirants for the Miss Global Philippines crown in ceremonies staged at the Cove Manila club in Okada Manila in Parañaque
Gonzales’s victory makes her the country’s representative to the international Miss Global tilt next year.
She is also the first single mother to carry the Philippines’ sash in the pageant, which also accepts unmarried mothers.
A crowd pleaser, Gonzales also topped the poll for “Darling of the Press” in an earlier event.
She is a repeat candidate, having joined the pageant’s maiden edition in 2014 when she did not have a child yet, finishing third.
Along with the crown, Gonzales also took home P300,000 in cash, P300,000 worth of jewelry, and other prizes from the pageant’s sponsors.
Rounding up the winning circle were first runner-up Cheska Viñas, second runner-up Nicole Dichoso, third runner-up Charlene Duran and fourth runner up Alexandra Moraga. /atm
Newly-crowned Miss Global Philippines 2018 Eileen Gonzales (center) is flanked by (from left) fourth runner-up Alexandra Moraga, second runner-up Nicole Dichoso, first runner-up Cheska Viñas, and third runner-up Charlene Duran. (Photo by ARMIN P. ADINA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)