Davao Region – The Miss World Philippines Organization, led by Chairman Arnold Vegafria has officially signed the contract for the Davao Region Franchise, with Mr. Lucky Santos as Regional Franchise Holder and Director. The momentous signing was held on August 20, 2025 at Discovery Samal hosted by Mutya ng Dabaw 2024, Ms. Hanna Maj Piccio. 

Carrying the global advocacy of “Beauty with a Purpose,” the launch of Miss World Philippines Davao Region marks a new chapter for Mindanao, offering opportunities for Dabawenya queens to showcase their beauty, intelligence, and advocacies on the national and international stage.

Not Just a Competition

Mr. Lucky Santos stressed the deeper meaning behind the pageant. “Miss World Davao Region is not just a competition but a platform for empowerment and service. At the same time, we want to celebrate our culture, our talent, and the unique stories of Mindanao at the national stage. We are preparing stronger training programs for inclusive opportunities and advocacy projects that truly matter while details of the selection are still being planned.”

He further assured that the process is very important on both character and purpose. “What I can assure you is that the process will highlight excellence and compassion, producing a representative who can proudly carry the name of Davao Region,” he said. Santos concluded with a strong vision: “We’ll build a Miss World Davao Region that inspires, empowers and serves.”

Advocacy for Tourism

Chairman Arnold Vegafria echoed the commitment of Miss World Philippines to highlight the country’s strengths, particularly in tourism. “One of our advocacies is to promote the tourism industry of the Philippines. I hope that Davao Region will support us in our advocacy in promoting the tourism industry of the Philippines,” Vegafria said.

Following the highlight of the contract signing, Vegafria warmly welcomed the franchise: “Davao Region, welcome to the Miss World Philippines Organization.”

Why Davao?

Vegafria explained his personal interest in ensuring Davao had its own regional franchise. “Davao Region is a beautiful region that has a lot of beautiful women, that’s why I pressured Mr. Lucky Santos to get the regional franchise of Miss World Philippines Davao.”

He also shared insights into the enduring Filipino passion for pageantry, saying that along with boxing and basketball, beauty pageants stand as one of the country’s most cherished interests, three B’s.”

Looking Toward the National Pageant

The Miss World Philippines National Finals is set for November 23, 2025, at the Mall of Asia Arena. As this is the first year of the Davao franchise, a representative will be appointed rather than chosen through a local pageant, with organizers promising a surprise announcement.

The Davao Region franchise will be managed in collaboration with Team Stellar, a respected pageant organization established in 2013. Known for producing beauty queens such as Hanna Maj Piccio, Team Stellar also brings with it a trusted glam team and strong advocacy programs designed to help young women achieve their pageant aspirations.

Crowns and Purpose

Miss World Philippines continues to hold multiple international franchises with the leadership of Sir Arnold Vegafria including Miss World Philippines, Miss Grand Philippines, Miss Asia Pacific International, Reina Hispanoamericana, Face of Beauty International, Universal Woman and Miss Teen International. Vegafria highlighted that the Philippines already holds several crowns from these pageants and expressed hope that the next one could proudly come from Davao Region.

Miss World Philippines Davao Region will champion not only beauty but also the causes of service, culture, and empowerment. With this launch, the region officially joins the global “Beauty with a Purpose” mission, ensuring that the stories, voices, and advocacies of Dabawenyas will be heard on bigger stages.