Binibini Samantha Alexandra Panlilio continues family pageant legacy
Binibini Samantha Alexandra Panlilio of Cavite took her family’s pageant legacy to the next step. Panlilio, 25, belongs to the illustrious Panlilio clan of the Southern Tagalog Region. Her aunt, the late Myrna Panlilio Borromeo, was the country’s first Philppine representative to the Miss Universe beauty pageant in 1964. “I am very honored and excited about it.” This Binibining Pilipinas frontrunner is a graduate of business and computer science at the University of California Irvine. After she studied in the US for seven years, Panlilio moved to the Philippines two years ago. She was born and raised in the Philippines. “After studying I just wanna put myself out of my comfort zone and really meet people who have the same mindset. There are many career-driven women in Binibining Pilipinas and I think I am in the same boat. So definitely I want to expand my network in that area. I am joining Bb. Pilipinas because I have something to fight about. That’s something I want more people to be aware of,” said Panlilio when asked about joining Binibining Pilipinas during an interview for Pageant Trend recently. On her advocacy, Panlilio said that she wants to build sustainable community in rural areas. During the pandemic, she participated in her hometown’s charitable work dubbed “Tiga Cavite Ako, Eto Ang Ambag Ko” project where she donated food for the poor and frontliners. During her stay in the US, Panlilio was featured in one of the game portions for the “Ellen DeGeneres Show.” She did not win the fun competition but she made it to the semis. This 5’6″ stunner is an entrepreneur whose family business is related to hotels and resorts. She also loves volleyball and performs fire dance which requires skills in juggling and twirling. She is about to start her food blog, @wifeyworthymeals on Instagram. Panlilio said that her national costume created by Klevin Bartolaba is inspired by Cavite’s martyrs who led the revolution against the Spaniards in 1896. It was made of indigenous local materials and authentic feathers with various hues to symbolize independence and victory with a crown patterned from the original Bb. Pilipinas crown of her aunt Myrna during her reign. At the meet-and-greet event hosted by her friend Anne Yu at Paper Moon in Molino, Alabang, Panlilio, who is candidate No. 1 in the Bb. Pilipinas 2020 pageant, gamely answered questions from select members of the press about her journey and preparations for her first national beauty contest. Panlilio said that she is eyeing the Bb. Pilipinas-Intercontinental title because it’s the crown won by her idol Binibini Karen Gallman who took home the country’s first Miss Intercontinental title in many years. Also present at the event was Kagandahang Flores beauty camp (KF) pageant guru Rodgil Rodin Gilbert B. Flores who wished Panlilio the best of luck in the grand finals of Bb. Pilipinas 2020 on April 17, 2021. More than 30 candidates are competing in the prestigious national pageant.