Miss InterContinental 2021

Another Cinderella story

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Binibining Pilipinas InterContinental 2021 Cinderella Faye Obeñita bested 71 other hopefuls and was crowned the 49th Miss InterContinental in glitzy rites at the Sunrise Diamond Resort in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This is the second victory for the Philippines after Karen Gallman's win in 2018.

The Cagayan de Oro City senior tourism officer was also proclaimed Miss InterContinental Asia. Cindy's court is comprised of Paulina Ucedo Escorcia, Mexico (Miss InterContinental North America), Romy Simpkins, England (Miss InterContinental Europe), Kelly-Marie Anette, Seychelles (Miss InterContinental Africa), Kaitlyn Li, Canada (Miss Power of Beauty), and Maria Paula Castillo, Colombia (Miss InterContinental South America) - runners-up in descending order. The Power of Beauty title was an automatic Top 6 placement awarded during the semifinal round. From the remaining 19 semifinalists, the judges chose five finalists to represent each of the continents.

The evening's competition started with the parade of nations in their national costumes. 

Amy Rodriguez Hernandez of Dominican Republic won Best National Costume. The Miss InterContinental YouTube channel was riddled with major technical difficulties that it had to cut its live broadcast several times. They even had to show clips from the 2019 pageant, twice, while trying to fix the audio problem.

Fortunately, the national director of Peru, through her Instagram channel - Nuestra Belleza Peruana - did a live coverage and most of the pageant community around the world watched the rest of the competition on her channel. Muchas gracias, Señora! 

The other continental beauties who made it to the semifinal round were - South Africa and Mauritius (Africa); Czech Republic, Crimea, Italy, Netherlands, and Germany [who won as Miss Swimwear and Miss Sunrise Resort, with US$ 1,000 and a total of 60 days stay in all Sunrise Resorts] (Europe); Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia (Asia/Oceania); Peru and Paraguay (South America); as well as Cuba and Guatemala (North America).

The other minor award recipients were Costa Rica (Miss Photogenic with US$ 1,000 cash prize), Russia (Miss Popularity), and Kenya (Miss Inspirational and Miss Congeniality plus a three-night stay at any Sunrise Hotel).

Cindy, in the final Q & A, said that English is not important to being an InterContinental ambassador, but that her heart and good intentions are what count the most. She gave an eloquent and lengthy response. And that clinched the crown for her.

Like her phenomenal Binibining Pilipinas win, Cindy's InterContinental crown is another Cinderella story - as her crowning moment happened close to the strike of midnight. She was crowned by Miss InterContinental 2019 Fanni Miko of Hungary.