Dia Maté is this year’s Reina Hispanoamericana.
The Cavite-born beauty queen and R&B singer-songwriter — who previously represented the province in Miss Universe Philippines 2024 — bested 24 other pageant hopefuls and eventually took home the crown during the pageant’s coronation night in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on February 9 (February 10 Manila time). The 2024 edition’s titleholder, Maricielo Gamarra of Peru, crowned Maté as her successor at the end of the night.
Aside from winning the pageant’s prestigious crown, Maté also won the prestigious crown and Best in National Costume, wearing a dress designed by Ehrran Montoya and inspired by the Baroque Churches of the Philippines.
She made history as the second titleholder for the Philippines, following actress and beauty pageant winner Winwyn Marquez, who first won the crown in the pageant’s 2017 edition. Since 1991, Reina Hispanoamericana has featured beauty queens with Hispanic influence from around the world, celebrating Hispanic heritage, language, and culture.
“I did not expect to win, but I gave it all to God. I told myself, if I’m meant to win, it’s my destiny — and it was my destiny,” Maté shared in an interview with sports reporter and former tennis player Dyan Castillejo after her coronation.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet but everything was worth it in the end for me,” she added.
In light of her win, several of Maté’s fellow artists and personalities took to social media to celebrate the beauty queen’s win. Juan Karlos, pop hitmaker and Maté’s boyfriend shared to Instagram to express his love and support for Mate, “To my sweet, kind, loving, and beautiful soul — inside and out — my baby girl, my baba, my queen: I love you more than words can express. Te amo mucho, mi amor.”
While Cebuano pop singer Dom Guyot, shared to X, how ecstatic he was to see his best friend Maté win the pageant, “My best friend just won Miss Reina Hispanoamericana. I’m crying oceans, I love [you] Dia Maté.” On her Instagram stories, Marquez congratulated Maté on becoming the second Filipina titleholder on Instagram, “Dia, I love you. You are amazing. I knew it. I told you that you are going to win,” she said.
Last November 2024, she dropped “Ganda Gandahan,” a track that channeled her main Filipina pop-girl energy, “beauty queen” persona, and embracing one’s uniqueness and individuality. You can check the song here:
