advocacy. (Mutya ng Pilipinas Facebook)
TACLOBAN CITY – Kisha Honey Panis will represent Samar in the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2026 national pageant after being formally crowned and introduced as the province’s official delegate during a coronation and press presentation in Tacloban City on Saturday, Sept. 19.
Panis was presented as Mutya ng Pilipinas Samar during the inaugural coronation press presentation and unveiling held at The Pavilion, marking the first year that the Samar franchise will send a representative to the national competition.
“Samar is my home, a province blessed with beautiful places, rich culture, hardworking people, and countless stories that deserve to be heard and shared,” Panis said during the event.
She said she intends to use the national pageant as a platform to promote Samar’s tourism, culture and people.
“I want people to see not only the beauty of our province, but also the strength, resilience, and talent of its people,” she said.
Panis will also promote her advocacy, “Uniting Minds for Agriculture,” which seeks to highlight the importance of agriculture and give greater attention to the people working in the sector.
She said the advocacy is rooted in her connection to the province and her desire to highlight the contributions of farmers and other agricultural workers to local communities.
“I will carry more than a crown. I will carry with me the support of Samar and the stories of our people,” Panis said.
Before her appointment as Mutya ng Pilipinas Samar, Panis was crowned Miss Pintados 2022 and placed first runner-up in the Miss Universe Philippines-Tacloban 2025 competition.
Local director Jose Mari Lauzon said securing the Mutya ng Pilipinas franchise for Samar was intended to provide a local candidate with an opportunity to represent the province on the national stage.
“Samar has long been waiting for this moment, and we believe in the overflowing talent, charisma, beauty, and dedication of our Samaritans,” Lauzon said.
Organizers decided not to hold a provincial pageant during the franchise’s inaugural year and instead concentrated their resources on preparing Panis for the national competition.
Panis will be among the candidates who will compete for the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2026 national titles.
Samar previously had a representative in the competition through Christina Vanhefflin, who represented Leyte in the previous year’s pageant. Vanhefflin won the Mutya ng Pilipinas Intercontinental title and later represented the Philippines at the Miss Intercontinental competition, where she placed fourth runner-up.
Panis said she hopes her participation will further highlight Samar and its people as she competes on the national stage.
Kisha Honey Panis is formally presented as Mutya ng Pilipinas Samar 2026 during the coronation and press presentation at The Pavilion in Tacloban City on Saturday, Sept. 19. Panis will represent Samar in the national Mutya ng Pilipinas 2026 pageant and promote her “Uniting Minds for Agriculture” advocacy.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
