Winning beauty comes home
FRANCESCA Taruc arrived home to a warm welcome after she won the Miss Tourism World Intercontinental 2019 title in Nanjing, China last Jan. 9.
She was welcomed at the airport by her family, friends and supporters on Friday.
“I’m home!” wrote Taruc on Instagram, posting a photo of her holding a small Philippine flag.
The Miss Tourism World Intercontinental title is the first international pageant crown for the Philippines this year.
This is also the second big pageant win for the Philippines since Catriona Gray was crowned 2018 Miss Universe in Bangkok, Thailand last Dec. 17.
At the Miss Tourism World Intercontinental contest, first runner-up honors went to Tatarstan while Ukraine, placed 2nd runner-up.
Taruc was trained under the Kagandahang Flores beauty camp of Rodgil Flores.
The 20-year-old hails from Angeles City. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the Holy Angel University in Pampanga.
She is the granddaughter of Supremo Luis Taruc, founder of Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon (Hukbalahap), a group that organized itself to fight Japanese forces in World War II.
This is the second time that Francesca joined an international pageant. Her first pageant abroad was for the Miss Freedom of the World pageant held in Kosovo in July 2018. She won the Best Body special award during the preliminary round of the competition.