Here’s what we know about Miss Intercontinental 2021 Cindy Obeñita

Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Oct 30 2021 10:24 AM

From being a wildcard qualifier to taking an international crown.

This was how many pageant fans described Cindy Obeñita’s road to the Miss Intercontinental 2021 crown— a journey fitting to her real name Cinderella.

Faced with adversity just like the famous Disney princess Cinderella, Obeñita barely made the semifinals cut in the national pageant Binibining Pilipinas in July 2021.

The Cagayan de Oro native advanced to the Top 13 as a wildcard, receiving the highest number of votes from fans.

But the 25-year-old senior tourism officer knew how to seize an opportunity as she became a trending topic on Twitter after impressing the viewers during the question and answer round.

She was asked about the importance of luxury items for a woman amid a struggling economy triggered by the pandemic.

In response, Obeñita said she would rather be a woman "who understands the problems of the Philippines" and be the one to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

She went on to win the Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental crown, getting the right to represent the Philippines at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt.

On Saturday, Obeñita successfully claimed the second Miss Intercontinental crown of the Philippines following Karen Gallman’s feat in 2018.

Obeñita graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Mass Communication from Liceo de Cagayan University. She said she has been "academically multi-decorated" since her elementary years.

Aside from working in the provincial government of Misamis Oriental, she is also an events host, model, and brand endorser.

Advocacies and charity works

Obeñita, who considers Mother Teresa and Kobe Bryant as her role models, proudly represented her hometown Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental in the national pageant, showcasing the culture and history of the town in her wardrobe.

For her national costume, she took inspiration from a legend about CDO that tells of the city “resting on the back of a giant goldfish, with its head right under the Cathedral.”

“This is the mythical inspiration of my national costume, a fitting tribute to the Oro, as a gentle creature. On top of the piece is a crown, a homage to Birhen sa Kota who protected the city from invading Moros,” she said on her Instagram account. 

Named as Belleza del Oro, Obeñita’s costume in the Philippine competition had over 10,000 glittery pieces with dominant circular bangles, representing the golden coconut called kuyamis, abundant in Misamis Oriental.

“I take immense pride here at the Binibining Pilipinas to make my beloved Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental shine like gold in the eyes of the world,” she said.

But aside from giving pride to her hometown through a beauty pageant, Obeñita has been active in helping her fellow Misamisanons especially amid the pandemic.

Working closely with the local government, the beauty queen was at the frontline when the provincial government of Misamis Oriental turned over a COVID-19 isolation building in Alubijid town. 

“Despite the challenges, our Provincial Gov’t was able to finish the project so we can cater to the health needs of Misamisnons and our neighboring cities and municipalities. Our fight against COVID continues until the last patient is declared out of the woods,” Obeñita said.

She also partnered with Millennials PH and Kapit-Mindanao community in 2020 to launch #KapitPinas, a nationwide fundraising campaign for the victims of Typhoons Quinta and Rolly.

“Sa loob lang ng isang linggo, magkasunod na pinadapa ng dalawang malakas na bagyo ang malaking parte ng Luzon. Many of our KAPITids lost their homes and livelihood,” Obeñita posted.

“Others were left with no food to eat and many were displaced. Imagine the struggle of facing 2 super typhoons in a time where our country has yet to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Ngayon tayo pinaka-kailangan ng ating mga KAPITids from Luzon.”

The campaign sent support for 12 beneficiary areas in Luzon.

Netizens, beauty queens celebrate Cindy Obeñita’s victory at Miss Intercontinental
During the National Women’s Month, Obeñita also used her social media platforms to rally for genuine women empowerment.

“As we celebrate National Women's Month, let us continue to assert that genuine women empowerment is not measured by the number of women in power- in government or in the corporate world- but on the quality by which we address the needs of women and the most vulnerable in society,” she shared. 

A known advocate for cervical cancer awareness, Obeñita has been invited to speak on several occasions about one of the threats to women’s lives globally.

She talked about Crown CDO: Cervical Cancer Awareness and Prevention Circle, an organization they founded to create conversations on health, improving access to cancer prevention and treatment for girls and women.

Last February, she also encouraged the public to register to vote for Halalan 2022 to elect genuine leaders who will empower the masses.

“The true power of the people is to genuinely elect people in power who can empower people. Reminding my fellow Filipinos to please go out and register to vote for the 2022 elections! #PeoplePower,” she posted.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/10/30/21/get-to-know-miss-intercontinental-2021-cindy-obeita