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Iloilo City delegate Karen Nicole Piccio is one of the 66 delegates at this year's Miss Universe Philippines. She painted her own Filipiniana for a sponsor shoot and powersuit for preliminary.
Karen Nicole Piccio via Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — Iloilo City’s Karen Nicole Piccio has been painting about the universe since childhood, and she is trying to make her mark at this year’s Miss Universe Philippines 2025 in a power suit and Filipiniana handpainted with her own art and love for the universe.
The 26-year-old Ilongga beauty is among the 66 delegates vying to take home the Philippines’ fifth crown in Thailand later this year.
In a sea of beauties that consists of pageant veterans and newbies, Karen is sharing her artistry and powering through the competition with her determined self-expression.
Earlier this month, she showed her creative side by reimagining a stretch black dress with detachable Filipiniana sleeve for a sponsor shoot. The drab black turned into a cosmic canvass when she dabbed the colors of the outer space on it.
For her preliminary interview earlier this week, she received a compliment from one of the judges about her work on her powersuit as she tried to persuade them with her eloquence and her answer to the question most of her 65 sisters have been asked throughout the competition, whether by the panel or avid pageant aficionados.
Why should she be the next Miss Universe Philippines?
“Ever since childhood in my literal dreams at night and whenever I close my eyes, all I see are colors of the universe. I was gifted by this and so I know this is something that I really have to do."
“From flower fields to galaxies, it’s what I’ve been painting since childhood. Now there is this very strong pull, that this is something that I really have to do, not just for myself, but also for others. And I know given the Miss Universe Philippines platform, my art together with my voice, can create a bigger impact. And as for my track record, I can fulfill all my goals for this,” she said.
Karen is not a new face in pageantry. She almost snagged the Miss Manila 2023 crown with a 1st runner-up finish. In 2019, she took home one of the titles of Miss Philippines Earth as Miss Philippines Earth Eco-Tourism 2019.
Karen’s fate will be known tomorrow, May 2, as Miss Universe Philippines 2025 will crown its new queen in Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
RELATED: LIST: Meet the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 candidates
