Bea Patricia "Patch" de Guzman Magtanong-Cordoves (born April 27, 1994) is a Filipino lawyer, beauty pageant titleholder and fashion model who was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2019. Magtanong represented the Philippines at the Miss International 2019 competition on 12 November 2019 in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan placing in the Top 8.

Early life and education

Magtanong was born on April 27, 1994, to a lawyer father and an accountant mother. She grew up idolizing both her parents and their professions, especially her father and his

legal practice Legal practice is sometimes used to distinguish the body of judicial or administrative precedents, rules, policies, customs, and doctrines from legislative enactments such as statutes and constitutions which might be called "laws" in the strict ...

. While Magtanong's parents never prodded her to study Law and become a lawyer herself, she was always intrigued by the legal profession. In July 2014, Magtanong graduated

cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

with a degree in business economics from the

University of the Philippines Diliman The University of the Philippines Diliman (also called UPD; ), also referred to as UP Diliman, is a State university and college (Philippines), public, coeducational, Research university, research university located in Diliman, Quezon City, Ph ...

, where she would also later study and complete her

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

(law degree). She was among the 1,800 new lawyers who took the oath in June 2019 after passing the

Philippine Bar Examination The Philippine Bar Examinations is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines. The exam is exclusively administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines through the Supreme Court Bar Examination Committee. History ...

in October 2018.

Pageantry

Binibining Pilipinas 2019

Binibining Pilipinas Binibining Pilipinas (abbreviated as Bb. Pilipinas or BBP; ) is the oldest active national beauty pageant in the Philippines. Founded in 1964, it currently selects Filipina representatives to compete in one of the Big Four international beau ...

was Magtanong's first-ever beauty pageant competition. During the finals held on 9 June 2019 at the

Smart Araneta Coliseum The Araneta Coliseum, also currently known by naming rights sponsorship as Smart Araneta Coliseum, is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena that is part of the Araneta City in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines. Nicknamed "the Big Dome" ...

, she was recognized with special awards Bb.

Megaworld Megaworld Corporation () is a real-estate company in the Philippines. It is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index. The company develops large-scale, mixed-use, planned communities incorporating residential, commercial, educat ...

and Best in Swimsuit. She succeeded Ahtisa Manalo after being crowned 2019

International International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

, becoming the country's representative to the Miss International 2019 competition slated 12 November at the

Tokyo Dome City Hall The Tokyo Dome City Hall (TDC Hall) is a facility for sports, fashion shows, circuses, and live music, located inside Tokyo Dome City in Tokyo, Japan. It is on the opposite corner of the Tokyo Dome, and hosts a variety of events at any given t ...

in Tokyo, Japan. During the 2019 Binibining Pilipinas question and answer round, Magtanong was asked: "If you could have the opportunity to meet somebody globally influential, who would that be and why?" To which she replied:

''I really idolize
Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie ( ; born Angelina Jolie Voight, , June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Angelina Jolie, numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards ...
because she is blessed with not just a thriving career in Hollywood, but then as a woman, she is able to use that influence, that voice, and that audience to advocate for the causes that she believes in, like breaking world hunger with the UN. And someday, if given the chance, I would like to be just like her. Thank you.''

She stated in a subsequent interview that she was aiming to win the Miss Universe Philippines crown to strengthen emphasis and further her advocacy on

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

, particularly on the rights of prisoners but added, in conclusion, that she is very happy with the 2019

title she now holds, and is looking forward to using her platform for the causes she believes in.

Miss International 2019

On 12 November 2019, Magtanong represented the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

at the Miss International 2019 pageant in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. During the speech portion of the pageant, the Top 8 finalists were given the chance to express themselves on why they should be the next Miss International. Magtanong's speech read:

''When I was younger, I found it strange that I was subjected to different standards as other boys my age. When I got older and even more so when I became a lawyer, I began to question these standards and challenge them. Why should women live in fear of harassment, violence, and discrimination when basic human decency calls for respect, tolerance, and compassion? To cheer all women means to support all women regardless of their race, religion, or background. But not only this – it also means to remove the barriers that prevent women from realizing their full potential. Miss International does this by fostering a global culture of women empowerment and gender equality. And through this platform, we can ensure that no woman anytime, anywhere is left behind.''

At the end of the pageant, she finished as one of the Top 8 finalists.

Personal life

In September 2022, she announced her engagement to her boyfriend, Joshua Cordoves, brother of

Miss Grand International 2016 Miss Grand International 2016 was the fourth Miss Grand International pageant, held at the Westgate International Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, on October 25, 2016 the first time the contest was held outside Thailand. Candidates ...

1st runner-up

Nicole Cordoves Nicole Ignacio Cordoves (; born April 15, 1992) is a Filipino model, host, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2016. She represented the Philippines at the Miss Grand International 2016 page ...

. They married in July 2023.

References

External links

Binibining Pilipinas Official Website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Magtanong, Bea Living people 1994 births Miss International 2019 delegates Binibining Pilipinas winners People from Bataan University of the Philippines Diliman alumni 21st-century Filipino lawyers 21st-century Filipino women lawyers