PH FIRST WIN. Miss Asia 2016 Trixia Maria Maraña gets a kiss from her court after winning the title last August 18 in India. Photo from Facebook/Miss Asia

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ own Trixia Maria Maraña won the title of Miss Asia 2016 last Thursday, August 18 in Kerala, India.

Trixie, 23, won the title among 18 candidates at the event held at the CIAL Convention Center. Other winners include first runner-up Yauheniya Vasilyeva‬ of Belarus and 2nd runner-up Ankita Kharat of India. According to reports, Trixie is a bank employee from Dumaguete.

According to PEP, prior to winning Miss Asia 2016, Trixia participated in a number of local pageants, inlcuding Miss Negros Oriental 2015 and Miss Dumaguete City.

Following her win, Trixia posted a message on her Facebook, according to PEP, thanking her friends, family, employer, and God for all that she’s achieved.

“For me it’s not reaching the mountain top that makes you success(ful). Its the climbing, its the falling, the slipping, the trying again,” she reportedly wrote.

“I personally have hit major peaks in the deepest valley in coming here. We should think that the valleys are needed to be appreciated in going to greatest heights. How could I ever thank you Lord for all of these things, you have astoundingly given.” – Rappler.com