How Katrina Johnson manifested competing in Miss International 10 years ago

For beauty queen Katrina Anne Johnson, representing the Philippines on the Miss International stage is more than a pageant milestone—it's a dream she only imagined a decade ago that she's finally about to live.

In an Instagram Story, Johnson shared a screenshot of a Notes entry dated Oct. 28, 2016, titled “Ultimate Bucket List.” Among the goals she had written down were competing in the international pageant, graduating and passing the board exams, and visiting all 82 provinces in the Philippines.

“Ten years ago, on October 28th, I wrote down a list of things I hoped to achieve in life,” she wrote. “A decade of unexpected turns, lessons, losses, and second chances later, here we are. And to think, there’s still so much of this story left to write.”

Now, at 28, Johnson is preparing to compete for the international crown.

“I still can’t quite believe I’m finally saying this (18-year-old Katrina would be fangirling so hard right now), but here are my official photos as your Miss International Philippines 2026,” she shared on Instagram.

As she prepares for the competition, the Binibining Pilipinas International 2025 titleholder has continued her community work. During her reign, she worked with the Philippine Red Cross and participated in outreach activities supporting older people, people with disabilities, and single parents.

In her message announcing her international pageant journey, she said she was hoping to share the stories of Filipinos and the communities that make her proud to represent the country.

“I can’t wait to meet my Miss International sisters, but most of all, I look forward to bringing a little piece of home to Japan and sharing the stories of the people and communities that make me proud to be Filipina,” she wrote.

The 64th Miss International coronation night is scheduled for Nov. 25 in Tokyo, Japan. Johnson will compete alongside delegates from around the world for the international crown.

This year's competition will also have a format change, as Miss International announced that it will no longer hold a swimsuit competition during the finals. 

The Philippines has won the Miss International title six times, with its most recent victory coming in 2016 when Kylie Verzosa was crowned the winner.