It’s the year of returning beauty queens in the much-anticipated Miss Universe Philippines 2024 search. The list is growing for former beauty titlists, who have represented the country in global pageants, making a comeback to try to win the right to represent the country on the Miss Universe stage.
After a decade, veterans Kris Tiffany Janson and Christi Lynn McGarry, now in their 30s, are in it to win it.
Janson, 34, recently won Miss Universe Philippines-Cebu 2024. “I realized that I’m here for a bigger purpose,” Janson said after winning Miss Cebu 2024, adding that she has proven that she can still do it at her age.
Janson, an advocate for animal-assisted therapy, represented the country in the 2014 Miss Intercontinental in Magdeburg, Germany, where she was named second runner-up.
McGarry, turning 34, was part of the Bb. Pilipinas 2015 batch topped by Pia Wurtzbach. The statuesque Fil-Am model had the privilege of competing in Miss Intercontinental twice, as a Top 15 semi-finalist in 2010 as a Mutya ng Pilipinas, and placing first runner-up in 2015.
“We are at the forefront of modernity, innovation, and progression, which I embody as a candidate. I would showcase the modern and progressive Filipina on the Miss Universe stage if given the opportunity,” McGarry said during her official sashing as Miss Universe Philippines-Taguig 2024 held at The Vault in Pasig City.
Janson and McGarry will join the much-heralded Ahtisa Manalo, 2018 Miss International first runner-up. Now 26, the stunning beauty from Candelaria, Quezon, is dead set to win the title this time, which was denied to her by Catriona Gray in 2018.
Also joining is Cyrille Payumo, representing Pampanga, another pageant veteran who won the Miss Tourism International crown in 2019.