PH bet Anita Rose Gomez is 1st runner-up at Miss Asia Pacific International 2025

Metro Manila, Philippines - Philippine representative Anita Rose Gomez finished first runner-up at the Miss Asia Pacific International 2025 pageant, while Brazil’s Isabela Fernandes took home the crown.

The winners were announced during the coronation night on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Rounding up the Top 5 were Thailand’s Bowonrat Maneerat (second runner-up), Belgium’s Jana Janssens (third runner-up), and the Netherlands’ Delilah Elmira Wildeboer (fourth runner-up).

Aside from her first runner-up title, Gomez also won Best in Swimsuit during the preliminaries. Fernandes of Brazil earned Best in Evening Gown, while Thailand’s Maneerat took home Best in National Costume.

During the first round of question and answer, Gomez cited the resiliency of Filipinos amid challenges including the recent Cebu quake.

In the final question-and-answer round, contestants were asked: “This year's theme is 'Transformation Journey: Her Story Ablaze.' When the fire of transformation dies down and only the embers remain, what will continue to keep your story burning bright?”

“I think what will keep burning is the legacy that you will leave behind. I grew up below the edge of comfort and I experienced so many challenges in my life. But those challenges I learned to turn my struggles into my strength, and my pain into my purpose. And through that, I was able to cope up and I was able to be the woman that I am today: grounded, driven, and full of heart,” Gomez said.

“And I believe that through the legacy that I will leave, that no matter what challenges you've been through, no matter your beginning, if you're dedicated and if you put your heart into doing something, you will definitely succeed,” she added.

Sharifa Akeel was the last Filipina to win the Miss Asia Pacific International crown in 2018.