‘Gabbi’ grabs Miss Philippines Eco International 2026 crown

Local

GABRIELLA MAI “Gabbi” Carballo of Cebu City stepped into the national spotlight on Friday evening, May 2, as she was named Miss Philippines Eco International 2026 during the grand coronation night of Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) 2025 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Carballo received the crown from Alexie Mae Caimoso Brooks of Iloilo City, the newly crowned Miss Eco International 2025, in a symbolic handover that marked not only the passing of a title but the continuation of a legacy of environmental advocacy and international representation.

With this appointment, the Cebuana doctor, model, and beauty queen now carries the Philippines’ hopes for a back-to-back victory at the 11th Miss Eco International pageant set for 2026.

Though she did not clinch the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 crown, Carballo’s appointment is a triumph in itself. It affirms the enduring presence and influence of Cebuano women in Philippine pageantry.

Ahtisa Manalo of Quezon Province emerged as the new Miss Universe Philippines 2025. She bested 65 other candidates to earn the coveted title and will represent the country in the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand this November.

Manalo becomes the sixth winner under the Miss Universe Philippines organization, led by Miss Universe 2013 third runner-up Ariella Arida, and succeeds Chelsea Manalo, who made history as the first-ever Miss Universe Asia during last year’s pageant in Mexico.

Carballo joins an impressive roster of MUPH 2025 titleholders bound for various international competitions: Ma. Katrina Llegado of Taguig, who will compete at Miss Supranational 2025 in June, and Chelsea Fernandez of Sultan Kudarat, who is set for Miss Cosmo 2025 in December.

Rounding out the winners’ circle are Winwyn Marquez of Muntinlupa and Yllana Marie Aduana of Siniloan, Laguna, who were named first and second runners-up, respectively.

For Carballo, however, the journey to this national title has been shaped by far more than pageant nights and sashes.

At 26, she is a doctor-in-training, a model, and a pageant veteran who blends service, advocacy, and ambition with a quiet sense of purpose rooted in both her Filipino heritage and life experience.

Who is Gabbi Carballo

Born in Miami, Florida, to Bisaya parents—her father from Dumaguete and her mother from Cebu—Gabbi grew up at the intersection of two worlds.

She credits her multifaceted character to the contrasts within her own household: a reserved, routine-loving mother and an outgoing, visionary father. Their encouragement led her to explore a wide spectrum of pursuits, from sports and performing arts to academic competitions and social causes.

But it was in pageantry where she found a platform that allowed her to bring all her talents and convictions together.

Her first foray into beauty competitions began at Cebu Doctors’ University in 2017, where she was crowned Miss Valentine. That same spirit of curiosity and service carried her through more titles: Miss Mandaue 2018, Miss Cebu 2022, Miss Universe Philippines Cebu 2025, and finally to the national stage with MUPH 2025.

Carballo’s journey into the medical field began with a nursing degree earned during the pandemic and has since expanded into medical school.

She made the “scary decision,” as she once described it, to pause her post-graduate internship in order to fully commit to her Miss Universe Philippines candidacy, an opportunity that, in her words, does not come with a reset button.

This decision was supported by her mother’s simple reminder: “Medicine has no timeline. Miss Universe does.”

Despite the apparent divergence between medicine and pageantry, Gabbi views them as parallel paths. Both, she believes, are grounded in compassionate service, and it is this philosophy that powers her environmental advocacy.

In 2018, Carballo launched The Green Wave Cebu, a community-driven initiative that connects environmental sustainability with public health. The idea germinated from conversations she had a year earlier with underserved families who voiced how poor sanitation and unclean surroundings were contributing to chronic health problems.

One of the movement’s flagship programs, Sabon Sugbuanon, repurposes gently used hotel soaps into fresh, sanitized bars distributed to low-income communities. Women from these areas are trained in soap recycling workshops, fostering both hygiene access and livelihood.

The initiative has since expanded to conduct waste management seminars in public schools, partner with local pageants for environmental awareness campaigns, and spearhead clean-up drives along the Butuanon River.

“After all,” she once said, “if you have a clean environment, your health follows.”

Beyond the accolades, Gabbi’s story is also one of quiet perseverance. From personal losses to moments of self-doubt, she has leaned into her Christian faith to anchor her identity and aspirations.

A piece of wisdom from her pastor, “There is wisdom in knowing our days are numbered,” resonated so deeply with her that it reshaped how she views time, ambition, and purpose.

For Gabbi, each day is a gift to be lived with clarity, gratitude, and service.

That philosophy now fuels her next chapter as Miss Philippines Eco International 2026. As she prepares to represent the country on the global stage, she brings with her not just a vision for the crown but a larger mission: to leave every person she meets “seen, loved, and served.”(TGP)