Hindi direktang sinagot ni Miss World Philippines National Director Arnold Vegafria ang tanong kung siya pa rin ang may hawak ng franchise ng Miss Grand Philippines.
Pero isiniwalat niya ang kanyang planong pagtatayo ng sariling international pageant.
Nag-ugat ang usapin at nagkaroon ng mga haka-hakang hindi na si Arnold ang may hawak ng karapatang magpadala ng kandidata sa Thailand-based international pageant na Miss Grand International (MGI) dahil sa mga lumabas na larawan ni MGI founder and President Nawat Itsaragrisil at ng Filipino international shoe designer na si Jojo Bragais.
Paglilinaw ni Arnold: “After delivering two queens [Emma Tiglao at CJ Opiaza] from the Philippines, it’s about time naman that I can create our own international pageant.
“So I have to choose... if MGI will give it to Jojo or to anybody that they're willing to accept Miss Grand, I am open if they wanna give it to others.
"Because my plan is to put our own, na galing naman sa Philippines, because Vietnam is very successful, Thailand is very successful.
“With regards to the pageant industry, the Philippines is one of the biggest, powerhouse in the field of pageantry.
"So why don’t we have one from the Philippines to stage and create our own pageant?
“We only have one, which is Miss Earth, so it’s about time to have another one, which is bigger and better pageant.”
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A BRAND NEW PHILIPPINE-BASED INTERNATIONAL PAGEANT
Nagsalita si Arnold sa media conference at contract signing ng pagsasanib-puwersa ng Viva Entertainment at ng kanyang talent management agency, ang ALV Talent Circuit, na ginanap sa Viva Café, Cubao, Quezon City, nitong Biyernes, Mayo 8, 2026.
Sinabi ni Arnold na hindi pa alam ni Boss Vic del Rosario Jr. ang kanyang plano, pero kakausapin daw niya ang Viva Entertainment executive tungkol sa nabanggit na proyekto.
Saad niya: “After giving two queens, two consecutive queens, this time, hindi pa alam ni Boss Vic ito, I will sit down with him.
“It’s about time that Philippines will have a new international pageant. That is my thrust now, this is my project.
"We will create our own name that can be comparable, on the same level or higher than MGI or other Asian pageants.
“Hindi ko pa naikukuwento sa kanya [Boss Vic]. Maybe after this, I am going to offer.”
Tiniyak ni Arnold na walang problema sa pagitan nila ni Nawat.
Patunay nito ang kandidatang ipadadala niya—ang transgender woman na si Keylyn Trajano—sa Miss Grand International All Stars na magaganap sa Mayo 31, 2026 sa Bangkok, Thailand.
“We’re friends, no problem. I don’t want to create enemies. I always have good relationship with other international pageant directors,” giit ni Arnold.
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