MAKATI CITY, Philippines—Filipinos have been amassing beauty titles and have earned for the country a reputation for being a pageant powerhouse, and newly-crowned Mrs. Philippines International Leona Luisa Andersen is ready to meet the people’s expectations that she will be a formidable competitor on the global stage.

“Yes I am ready, I am ready for that. And I will get more ready for it,” Andersen told the Inquirer after her coronation at the ballroom of Okada Manila in Parañaque City on December 18.

“I will do my best that will come from the heart. I will be proud to represent the country most of all. And to those I may not be able to please, as of now, I am asking your opinion on where I can improve. I’m always a person who wants to be close to perfect because I’m not perfect yet,” continued the 27-year-old single mother.

Andersen, who was just crowned first runner-up in the “ReINA ng Tahanan” segment of the noontime program “It’s Showtime” last month, bested 14 other aspirants from all over the country for the Mrs. Philippines International crown.

She had already been selected as an official candidate in the national pageant when the TV program contacted her and asked her to participate in the contest’s “wildcard” round. She had already failed to qualify for the grand finals when she lost in the monthly finals.

“They [ABS-CBN management] knew that I will be joining this [Mrs. Philippines International] when they got in touch with me again. They are supportive of me,” she shared, saying a staff member from the company even watched the pageant to cheer her on.

The entrepreneur said she cannot believe that at her age, she was still able to grab the opportunity to represent the country in an international competition.

“Now when I introduce myself, I will no longer be saying ‘this is Leona Luisa Andersen representing Olongapo City,’ but I will be saying, ‘this is Leona Luisa Andersen representing the proud country full of nature, full of culture, Philippines!’” she said.

The newly-crowned queen also said that aside from showcasing the country on the global stage, she also hopes to use her title “to make what I want to say to the people of my country, and to the people of the world what my heart really wants to say.”

Andersen will participate in the Mrs. International pageant slated in Singapore sometime in the middle of 2022.

The national pageant also crowned several other representatives to various global tilts—Patrizha Meer-Banzuela to the Mrs. Grand International in Thailand, Janet Larnie Mamino to the Mrs. National Universe in Thailand, Genevieve Louw to the Elite Mrs. International in Thailand, Eudian Anoyo to the Mrs. Planet in Bulgaria, Joy Soo to the Mrs. Grand Classic in Thailand, Cristhel Bulabon to the Mrs. World Universal Classic in the United States, Chona Chuy Darm to the Mrs. Face of Beauty International in New Zealand, and Marites Ortega to the Ms. International in Thailand.