It's official: Anna Valencia Lakrini from Bataan was crowned Miss Globe Philippines 2023 during the 2023 Binibining Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night! The 25-year-old also won Best in Swimsuit and was dubbed the "JAG Denim Queen" special awardee.
We know you’re curious about Anna (her full name is "Annalena", btw!). Ahead, we rounded up 10 facts and trivia about her:
10 Things To Know About Anna Valencia Lakrini, Miss Globe Philippines 2023
1. She is a beauty pageant veteran.
Anna was also a candidate in Binibining Pilipinas 2022, where she made it to the Top 12 of the competition.
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2. She is a model.
Anna has been modeling even when she was based in Germany. She was walking runways as early as 2017—here she is dressed in a stunning halterneck wedding gown for MQ Vienna Fashion Week!
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3. She considers a fellow beauty queen to be her role model.
Anna looks to Miss Universe 2015 titleholder Pia Wurtzbach as a role model. In June 2022, she shared a photo of the two of them posing together and captioned it: "You are even more prettier in person. It is because of you that I got interested in pageantry and I just want to be as determined and beautiful with a heart like you!"
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4. She teaches German!
Fun fact: Anna and Pia are both from the same city in Germany — Stuttgart!
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5. She is a nutritional scientist.
Beauty *and* brains! In her 2023 Bb. Pilipinas profile, Anna shared that her advocacy is for Filipinos to have "accessible and affordable nutrition." During the final Q&A round, Mayor Honey Lacuna–Pangan asked the beauty queen: "In what ways is a beauty pageant candidate aiming for a crown similar to a politician running for an electoral post?"
Anna answered: "As someone who’s joining for the second time, I know that a beauty pageant has a platform on which we can talk about causes that are dear to our heart. My cause that is dear to my heart is nutrition, and as a nutritional scientist, as an advocate for proper nutrition, I know that in advocating with this platform from Bb. Pilipinas we can inspire so many people. And a politician can inspire a whole community, and so can we."
6. Her national costume was inspired by the legend of Alitaptap.
"When I read the legend of Alitaptap, I knew straight away that I wanted it as my national costume," the beauty queen said in an Instagram post. Designer Axel Que created the glittery, sparkly costume and it definitely caught our eye!
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Based on Anna's Instagram post, the magnificent Alitaptap (aka Firefly) is "a representation of hope and courage in the face of adversity, serves as an inspiration for her national costume. Legend has it that these dazzling creatures were born from the shattered fragments of a star on Bulan-hari's daughter's forehead, Alitaptap, whose heart of stone could not be moved by love but the fireflies that emerged out of her now sparkle brilliantly, signifying the enduring strength of hope."
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Whenever Anna wears this costume, she is reminded of "the unbreakable spirit of the Bataeños, who have weathered countless storms but still glimmer like the fireflies. She may encounter challenges in life, just like
"alitaptap", but she won't let them cause her heart to turn into stone. Instead, she will radiate her own light, just like the fireflies, and spread hope and positivity wherever she goes."
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7. She is very sporty.
In her 2022 Bb. Pilipinas profile, she lists horseback riding, running, [going to the] gym, hiking, and diving as some of her interests.
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8. She moved to the Philippines in 2022.
During her Top 12 Final Q&A round for Binibining Pilipinas 2022, Anna opened up about how her "whole life changed" after moving to the Philippines. Darna actress Jane De Leon asked her: "Becoming a beauty queen is a pursuit of fame. What are you willing to give up for fame?"
Anna answered: "Well, actually a couple of months ago, I just moved to the Philippines. My whole life changed. But for me that wasn’t a sacrifice — because it was my dream and I always wanted to be in the Philippines, not only to join Binibining Pilipinas, but also to be closest to my family and to my Filipino heritage. And today, I am living the dream on this stage."
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9. She can play the piano.
We managed to catch a snippet of Anna playing the piano when the lyrics "I started playing music again, hoping she would come out..." were spoken. ICYWW, the background audio is from I Started Calling that Girl Back by S. C Lourie.
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10. She is a Swiftie.
Anna is a big fan of Taylor Swift, since she called the singer her role model in her 2022 Bb. Pilipinas profile (alongside Pia Wurtzbach — we love the consistency!)
