She was the first Filipina to ever compete in Top Model of Universe’s female category. On September 18, in Istanbul, she became its first Filipina winner — the same night a separate Philippine crown fell almost 3,000 kilometers away, in Egypt.
Merianne Gabrielle Dekit walked into the Top Model of Universe 2026 grand final in Istanbul, Türkiye, as a first-time international delegate. She walked out with the whole thing — the outright women’s crown, beating 23 other delegates for a title no Filipina had ever competed for before this year. She also picked up the competition’s online popularity poll along the way.
Hours earlier, and an ocean away, Sophia Bianca Santos was crowned Miss Elite World 2026 in Somabay, Egypt — the Philippines’ second consecutive win at that pageant. Two competitions, two continents, one Philippine weekend.
A Franchise’s First Real Test
Dekit’s trip to Istanbul runs through Great Man of the Universe Philippines, the national pageant franchise that also sent Julius Cesar “Czar” Olivar to the men’s category this year. Olivar finished 1st Runner-Up — the best result a Philippine delegate has ever produced on that side of the competition — behind Türkiye’s own Murat Cakin. Dekit’s finish topped his: she won outright, on the same trip, under the same national banner.
That makes her win a first in two directions at once — the first time Great Man of the Universe Philippines has sent a female delegate to Top Model of Universe, and the first time any Filipina has won the female category outright.
From Pantabangan to a Sash No Filipina Had Worn
Before Istanbul, Dekit held a smaller, closer-to-home title. She was crowned Binibining Nueva Ecija 2026 on May 1, representing her hometown of Pantabangan — a landlocked municipality in Nueva Ecija province, a few hours north of Metro Manila. Local coverage of that win described her as pairing poise with “heartfelt advocacy.” Four months later, she backed it up with an international crown.
As the reigning Binibining Nueva Ecija, she carried ambassador duties for the province before Great Man of the Universe Philippines tapped her for a stage no Filipina had ever competed on. She left for Istanbul on September 12 alongside Olivar. Top Model of Universe ran September 13 through 19, drawing delegates from multiple countries into a modeling-format competition — judged more on runway presence and commercial look than interview rounds — split into separate men’s and women’s categories. Dekit’s win closed out the women’s side on the final night.
What the Trip Added Up To
One national franchise walked away from a single trip with an outright global crown and the best men’s finish the pageant has produced for the Philippines to date — while, an ocean away, a second Filipina took a completely unrelated international title the same night. Dekit’s piece of it is the cleanest story of the three: a provincial queen from Pantabangan, sent out on her first international assignment, who came back a first-time delegate with a first-ever win.