Photo from Facebook/@MissSupranational
Model, entrepreneur and Philippine Air Force reservist becomes the second Filipina to win the Poland-based pageant, following Mutya Datul’s 2013 victory
MANILA — Maria Katrina Llegado won Miss Supranational 2026 on July 31 in Nowy Sącz, Poland, securing the Philippines’ second title in the international competition and ending a 13-year wait for another Filipina winner.
Llegado was crowned at the Strzelecki Park Amphitheater after competing against 66 other national representatives in the pageant’s 17th edition. Eduarda Braum of Brazil, the 2025 winner, presented her with the new Fioletowa Crown.
France’s Ève Gilles finished first runner-up, followed by Brazil’s Lara Marina, Nigeria’s Gift Eno Ndah and the Czech Republic’s Karolína Gorylová.
Miss Supranational, established in Poland in 2009, is an annual international pageant featuring interviews and presentations in evening wear, swimwear and national costume. Its winner serves as an international ambassador during a year of appearances and service-related activities.
In the final interview, Llegado was asked when she stopped trying to meet the world’s expectations and began becoming the woman she believed she was meant to be.
“We are perfectly imperfect,” she said, adding that she continued to work toward the best version of herself.
The victory marked the highest achievement of a pageant career that includes the Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2019 title and a fifth-runner-up finish at the international competition in Bolivia. She later placed second runner-up at Miss Universe Philippines 2022 and reached the final six in 2025 before being named Miss Supranational Philippines 2026.
Her win follows Mutya Datul’s 2013 victory for the Philippines.
Outside pageantry, Llegado earned a bachelor’s degree in management of financial institutions from De La Salle University. She is a co-founder of Filipino cosmetics brand Clocheflame and has been identified in published profiles as its chief financial officer.
She is also a Philippine Air Force reservist and has linked her public-service platform to women’s economic opportunity through Project PEARLS’ G.R.O.W. initiative. Llegado said her company supported a candle-making project intended to provide livelihood opportunities to participating women in Tondo, Manila.
Her victory places the Philippines among countries with multiple crowns.
She won wearing a gold-and-orange evening gown by Filipino designer Rian Fernandez. The purple-stoned Fioletowa Crown was designed by Venezuelan jeweler George Wittels.
