THE Philippines’ Sharifa Akeel was crowned Miss Asia Pacific International 2018 early Friday, making her the fifth Filipino to win the 50-year-old international pageant.
The Sultan Kudarat beauty bested 49 other candidates at the conclusion of the four-hour finals night held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay Thursday.
Akeel succeeds Francielly Ouriques of Brazil.
Her runners-up, in order, were Gabriela Palma of Brazil, Melania Gonzales of Costa Rica, Misheelt Narmandakh of Mongolia, and Marani Angarita of Venezuela.
Prior to Akeel, four Filipinos were crowned in past iterations of the international pageant: Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982), Gloria Dimayacyac (1983), Lorna Legaspi (1989), and Michelle Aldana (1993).
Established in 1968, Miss Asia Pacific International evolved over the decades to include candidates from more countries, having originally gathered only representatives from Asia and Oceania. (ABS-CBN News)
