MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines welcomed its new Miss Universe Philippines 2026 queen on Saturday, May 2, and it is none other than Bea Millan-Windorski of La Union.
Bea beat 50 contestants in the local Miss Universe pageant, and inherited the position of Quezon Province. Ahtisa Winwho finished third in the international competition of the competition.
Even before the coronation night, Bea was one of the best players to win the title, with many fans of the competition focusing on the aspiring lawyer’s eloquence, strong personality, and even her resemblance to Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.
Filipino roots
Born on August 15, 2002 in a family of American immigrants, Bea traces her maternal roots to San Juan, La Union, where her grandparents Alfredo and Marcela Millan lived, before moving to Nueva Vizcaya, and later deciding to move to the United States in search of better opportunities.
In America, his mother met his American father, who also came from a family of Polish-German immigrants.
Growing up in predominantly white Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bea initially struggled with identity and belonging, but eventually felt a sense of responsibility to discover and introduce her Filipino heritage to the community.
The 23-year-old beauty queen earned a double degree in International Studies and History “with full honors” at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on South Asian Studies, where she studied the Filipino language and even completed a thesis on Filipinos in the US Navy.
Bea was also awarded a fellowship by the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in the United States and received an internship at the East-West Center in Washington, DC, which paved the way for her to learn more about US-ASEAN relations, as well as improve her Filipino language skills.
In addition to her strong academic background, the 5-foot-11 youngster excels in the performing arts, as she was also a member of the high school dance team and a ballet dancer at the Milwaukee Ballet School.
Bea also has a passion for music growing up learning to play the cello, as well as a love of jazz, two things she honed at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
A young queen
As a teenager, Bea discovered the festival and saw it as more than just a competition, but a way to share her passion and advocacy.
In an interview with Rappler, Bea shared that she previously participated in various youth competitions in high school for scholarship money.
Among her first pageants is Miss Milwaukee Area Outstanding Teen 2020, where she won the title and went on to compete in Miss Wisconsin’s Outstanding Teen 2021.
In his senior year of college, he thought that his time in the concert was over as he would no longer need the award for his studies. Her mother, however, registered her for the Miss Earth USA 2024 pageant.
Although she was initially reluctant to continue with the competition, previous winners of the competition reminded her how she can use the platform to make a big impact in her advocacy.
“I remember years ago, I watched Karen Ibasco take the title and was inspired by her dedication to the environment, and her intelligence, so I decided to volunteer,” Bea recalled.
The beauty noted that it was the “right decision” to continue with the title, giving her the opportunity to represent the United States in the 24th Miss Earth pageant held in the Philippines.
In the international competition of the pageant, Bea took home the coveted title, winning Miss Earth-Water which stands for the protection of sea water resources.
Bea stayed in the Philippines during her Miss Earth-Water reign, continuing her advocacy, building her career as a model, and volunteering for various conservation groups like Project Curma, which aims to protect sea turtles and marine wildlife in La Union.
He got involved in many social issues, and during the Trillion Peso March 2025, Bea even joined thousands of individuals in a massive protest against massive corruption in the country.
The beautiful woman used her voice to be a representative of environmentalists who support various projects and policies that increase the destruction of the environment in the country.
@rappler Miss Earth Water 2024 denounces government corruption at the Luneta rally WATCH: Miss Earth Water 2024 Bea Millan-Windorski, speaking at the Luneta rally on Sunday, November 30, calls out government officials for allowing illegal logging and mining to continue in the country. | Video by Maria Czietherine Paghunasan Follow Rappler news: rplr.co/Nov30Rllies
Bea finally decided to live in the Philippines even after her reign to pursue other plans, including legal education, what her mother and grandmother wanted.
But the competition came again when she was given the chance to join the Miss Universe Philippines pageant this year, which she saw as an opportunity to continue her journey towards identity and growth.
A sense of belonging
On the night of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant, Bea appeared in the preliminary rounds, and in a question and answer segment, she touched on her journey to discover her Filipino origins.
The winners were asked: “Many Filipinos are disgusted with the country. To you, why is it still appropriate to represent the Philippines on the international stage?”
“I often had to point out where the Philippines was on the map to my colleagues, and I always felt like a homebody,” Bea replied.
“I chose to close my life to return home boxes and boxes because I believe in the unlimited potential of the Filipino people and the fact that we need to create local opportunities here so that people don’t have to go abroad and be separated from their families to survive and thrive. If I were to be named Miss Universe Philippines, I promise to be a public servant for all.
In winning the title, Bea hopes to bring the fifth Miss Universe title to the Philippines, following Catriona Gray (2018), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margarita Moran (1973), and Gloria Diaz (1969).
Bea also aims to usher in an era that redefines the crown, not only as a symbol of beauty, but as a platform that stands with the people it represents.
With a family of immigrant origins, Bea compares her journey back to the Philippines to that of the sea turtles found on the coast of San Juan, La Union – they leave for a better place to grow, but remain guided by their intuition to return to a familiar shore.
And now that she’s back to her roots, Bea feels grown up and ready to strengthen what she’s always felt like at home. – Rappler.com
