The way the phrase “sobrang Latina” made its way into the Filipinos’ psyche speaks volume of their preoccupation with beauty and idea of perfection as someone devoid of flaws. But for Miss Universe Philippines 2025 and her queen sisters, such expectations are impossible and should have no place in modern society.

The entrepreneur from Quezon Province led the recently-proclaimed queens at the “Pina Women: More Than a Crown” event at House Manila at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on Wednesday afternoon, May 21.

Manalo said it is impossible for beauty queens to look “polished” all the time, or be at their 100-percent best every time. “We’re people also,” she said in an interview.

“There are expectations for us not to be ‘humans’ anymore, like, we can’t show anything that is deemed imperfect,” she said when asked about the supposed perceptions of beauty and perfection.

With Manalo were here runners-up Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez, and Yllana Marie Aduana, along with The Miss Philippines-Supranational Katrina Llegado, The Miss Philippines-Eco International Gabriella Mai Carballo, and The Miss Philippines-Cosmo Chelsea Fernandez, who were all in agreement with her.

The top six ladies in the recently-concluded Miss Universe Philippines pageant discussed their journey in the national pageant, even before the three months of actual competition.

INQUIRER.net asked the ladies what beauty standards that they see pageant fans still hold that they wish the followers would no longer subscribe to.

Fernandez cited the “Sobrang Latina” (exceedingly Latin) craze on social media, indicating that Filipinos see South American women as the standard for beauty.

The phrase apparently came from the idea that Latinas hold the prime standard of beauty, owing to the South American countries’ strong presence and winnability in international pageants. Such standards include olive or fair, flawless skin,  towering height, and fluid movement.

“I hope that we can also embrace our natural selves, and our beauty as Filipinas. And I hope that we continue to hear ‘sobrang Pilipina,’ instead of ‘sobrang Latina,'” she said.

As one of the proud “morenas” in the Top 6, Carballo hopes to see more dusky ladies advancing to the final round of the competition in the coming years. “I think the true Filipina beauty is really super diverse. And if we can be accepting of whatever form the Filipina comes in, then I think that will be the best celebration of beauty,” she said.

Aduana, for her part, lauded the Miss Universe Philippines’ more inclusive qualifications for participants, taking its cue from the international Miss Universe Organization.

“I hope that a lot of other beauty pageants also adhere to what we have here in MUPH, [because] it’s very inclusive. I would specifically mention the height requirement, because MUPH does not have any,” she said.

One of the four mothers in this year’s competition, Marquez lamented the “unrealistic expectations” that that Filipino public has on women. “We really do not have to fit the mold, we have to break the mold. We have to show who we really are. Not all women are the same. And I hope people see that there is beauty in imperfections,” she shared.

Llegado noted that fans expect nothing but perfection from the titleholders, “as if you do not have any flaws at all.” The model and entrepreneur said, “in reality, there’s nothing like that, and we should embrace who we truly are.”

Manalo is set to represent the Philippines in the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand in November, where she will try to post the country’s fifth win.

Fernandez will compete in the second Miss Cosmo contest in Vietnam in December, while Llegado and Carballo’s international competitions will be held next year.