Katrina Jayne Dimaranan took home the title of Miss Universe Philippines Tourism 2021 during the pageant’s coronation night on Thursday, September 30, in Panglao, Bohol.

The seasoned beauty queen, who represented Taguig City in the competition, was a fan favorite throughout the competition. During the night’s Q and A segment, Katrina’s articulate answer to the question – “What’s the most important trait a Miss Universe PH candidate should possess?” – was lauded by many. Katrina highlighted the importance of compassion and being relatable enough to inspire others.

“Miss Universe has to be able to connect with people in all different countries, from all different classes. So I would have to say relatability and compassion, because as a Miss Universe, it’s your job to inspire others and to genuinely want to help, whether it be through organizations or any companies, or groups of people,” she said.

Her pageant journey

Katrina’s strong performance during the Miss Universe Philippines 2021 preliminaries made her a candidate to watch out for early on. She placed sixth in the top 15 of the runway challenge, fifth in the video introduction challenge, sixth in the headshot challenge, and fifth in the casting video challenge.

The 28-year-old model is no stranger to the pageant scene, and Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Tourism may be her biggest crown yet. When she was just 18 years old, Katrina was crowned Binibining Pilipinas-Tourism 2012, one of the event’s three winning titles. With her singing prowess, she also won the night’s Best in Talent award.

Katrina won the Miss Supranational USA pageant in 2018 and represented the United States at the global Miss Supranational 2018 in Poland, where she placed first runner-up and bagged the Best Body Figure award. Katrina was able to join both Philippine and American pageants due to her dual citizenship.

Personal life

Katrina was born in the Philippines on June 6, 1993. According to a PEP report, her mother and father were from San Juan City and Occidental Mindoro, respectively. The family migrated to the Bay Area of San Francisco, California, when Katrina was a child.

Katrina initially took up business administration and management in college, but shifted to nursing instead. The 5’9 stunner is also a registered nurse.

Katrina is currently dating boyfriend Robby Rodriguez, whom she called “her boo” in an April 11 Instagram post. The couple was vacationing in Cancun, Mexico.

She also shared a sweet birthday post for the “very special man in [her] life” in June.

Not just a beauty queen

The beauty queen also boasts several other skills – Katrina models, sings, acts, and hosts.

Katrina began modeling commercially at 14, walking the runway for international fashion designers, posing for editorial spreads, and appearing in print ads. She also found a passion for singing, and has performed at several events and small concerts in the US and the Philippines.

Katrina dabbled in the world of hosting as well, specifically for pageants and other lifestyle events from time to time. In 2016, Katrina pursued hosting as a career and became one of the hosts of The Filipino Channel’s Adobo Nation, a talk show featuring news, food, lifestyle, and travel for Filipinos living in the US.

In 2018, she joined Philippine reality show The People’s Queen, where she and four other Filipina beauty queens were trained in a mansion for six weeks under pageant coaches Cece and Voltaire.

Her knack for reality TV got her a spot in the first season of dating show Love Island USA in 2019. Katrina came in on Day 7, but was eliminated on Day 17. According to her CBS bio page, Katrina was hoping that Love Island would “allow her the time to fall for a confident guy, because she’s ready to settle down and build a future with someone.”

Katrina has also acted for indie films, such as Lumpia with a Vengeance (2020) where she played Jemini, and mockumentary The Studio (2017), where she portrayed Anastasia.

More about her

Katrina lives her life according to her motto: “Once you know better, you do better.” When she’s not working, Katrina enjoys spending time with her family, taking care of her parents, and making the people around her laugh. According to her website, she also enjoys volunteering for charity work, being outdoors, and trying new food.

Katrina is both a homebody and an adrenaline junkie – aside from reading and watching romantic comedies at home, she also enjoys the thrill of horror movies and visiting haunted houses. Her love for the outdoors extends to animals – Katrina likes swimming with whale sharks and playing with elephants and tigers. – Rappler.com