Valerie West gives up Miss Global Philippines title; new queen known on June 20

After weeks of speculation among pageant fans that Miss Global Philippines Valerie West was heading out, ALV Pageant Circle onfirmed that the Filipino-American queen has indeed resigned.

In a social media post on Thursday morning, June 18, the pageant arm of talent manager Arnold Vegafria’s entertainment empire announced what many have already suspected to be true.

“ALV Pageant Circle respects Ms. Valerie West’s resignation following a review of contractual obligations. We wish her well in her future endeavors. A new Miss Global Philippines 2026 will be announced on June 20 at the Coronation Gala,” read the post.

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ALV Pageant Circle organizes the Miss World Philippines pageant, where West recently competed, and manages other international pageant licenses for the country, including the Miss Global tilt that it recently acquired.

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The organization’s statement said, “West was informed of the resulting adjustment to her status as a crowned queen. Instead of proceeding under the revised organizational arrangement, she chose to voluntarily tender her resignation.”

The review was made internally, the statement said, but did not get into the finer details of the “organizational obligations” stipulated in the provisions, and whether these were for the national organization or the international pageant.

“The organization will proceed in accordance with its rules, policies, and contractual arrangements, including the necessary coordination with all concerned parties,” continued the statement.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ALV Pageant Circle (@alvpageantcircle)

West first joined the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant as a delegate from the Filipino community of New York, but represented her mother’s home province of Ifugao. She finished in the Top 24.

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Months later, she was appointed to represent the same province for the 2025 Miss World Philippines pageant. But the national competition was moved to February 2026.

West received the lion’s share of special awards at the competition, and finished in the Top 10. She was crowned Miss Global Philippines after the ceremonies.

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ALV Pageant Circle will hold a Coronation Gala at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City on June 20 to crown the new Miss Global Philippines titleholder. Expected at the event are reigning Miss Global Nguyen Dinh Nhu Var from Vietnam and TPN Global CEO Piyaporn Sankosik from Thailand.

Several other national titleholders will also be proclaimed at the Coronation Gala. “The event will honor our newly appointed queens and the prestigious titles they will proudly carry,” ALV Pageant Circle announced.

After its falling out with the Miss Grand International Organization this year, ALV Pageant Circle has lost a platform to proclaim delegates for its other global pageant partners.

Vegafria has been the national director of Miss World Philippines since 2017, while his stint as national director for Miss Grand Philippines ran from 2023 to 2025. He held separate competitions for the two franchises, and chose titleholders for his other global licenses among finalists of his two contests.

At his last Miss Grand Philippines competition held in August, he also proclaimed his delegates to the Miss Asia Pacific International, Reina Hispanoamericana, Face of Beauty International and Miss Tourism World pageants.

At the recent Miss World Philippines pageant held in February, Vegafria also crowned his national queens to be sent to the Miss Global, Universal Woman, Miss Tourism International, Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International and Miss Teen International competitions.

The Miss Grand International license for the Philippines is now with the new national pageant Reina Filipinas under Jojo Bragais and reigning Miss Grand International Emma Tiglao.

Pageant fans are speculating that West’s replacement as Miss Global will be another ALV Pageant Circle queen who already holds a title, and a new titleholder will be proclaimed to hold the position that will be vacated as a result of the switching of crowns.

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ALV Pageant Circle announced that new titles will also be awarded at the Coronation Gala, hinting at additional international pageant licenses for the national organization. /ra