Who is Rina Andrea Delos Santos? Meet our Miss Philippines Earth 2026

Rina Andrea Delos Santos was crowned Miss Earth Philippines 2026 on Saturday, besting 31 other candidates.

The new pageant queen is one to watch out for, with her passion for her advocacy for sustainable tourism.

Here are facts about our new Miss Earth Philippines.

A proud woman from Ballesteros, Cagayan

Rina is proud of where she came from.

The beauty queen was raised in Ballesteros, Cagayan, where her late father was a member of the Sangguniang Bayan.

"He taught me that to love your hometown is to protect its people and its natural treasures," Rina said in a Facebook post. "I carry my father's heart, the resilience of our coastal community, and a lifelong commitment to preserving the beauty of our environment."

Rina dreamt of becoming an artist

In a Facebook post, Rina reflected on her childhood and said she "was a little girl with curious feet and an adventurous heart."

"I was a singer, a dancer, an athlete, and a student leader. My days were filled with activities, responsibilities, and aspirations. There was always something on my plate, yet I was the girl who believed she could do it all and give my best in every journey," she said.

Rina tried her hand at being an artist as it was a longtime dream of hers, so she trained with a top management.

"I struggled to balance my education and my training, trying to excel in both. The pressure became overwhelming, and one day, I broke down in tears," she said.

"In that moment, I convinced myself that perhaps that dream was never meant for me. So I let it go. I buried it beneath responsibility, practicality, and fear."

Rina is a registered medical technician

Rina has a background in the medical field, as she is a registered medical technician.

Rina passed the licensure examinations in 2023, after preparing for six months.

"It wasn't easy, but it surely was worth it," Rina said on Facebook.

"One thing I can say to future licensure examinees is to be responsible and do your part, but never forget to bring Him with you in your journey. It was all Him who got me through everything," she added.

Rina's heart belongs to tourism

Despite her backgrounds in entertainment, content creation, and medicine, Rina's heart belongs to tourism.

"I fell in love with tourism—not just because of the beautiful destinations, but because of the stories, cultures, traditions, and communities behind them," Rina wrote on Facebook.

That passion eventually led her to become an accredited community tour guide and an advocate of sustainable tourism.

"Through guiding, I realized that travel is more than visiting places; it is about preserving heritage, protecting the environment, and creating meaningful connections between people and communities." —MGP, GMA News