Trans beauty queen among official candidates for Miss Universe Philippines-Pampanga in 2025
Transgender beauty queen-model Keylyn Trajano has been announced as among the official candidates who are competing in the Miss Universe Philippines – Pampanga pageant in 2025.
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, the local pageant organization unveiled sixteen hopefuls who will vie for the crown and be the province's next representative at the national competition.
Among the official candidates is Trajano who hails from Siñura, Municipality of Porac. She's the first-ever trans woman to join Miss Universe Philippines – Pampanga.
In her official photo, MUPh Pampanga described her as a "successful model, entrepreneur, and advocate.”
Trajano took to Instagram to express her joy over making it to the official list after being “rejected numerous times.”
“I have been constantly told to stop breaking the system, have been rejected numerous times and finally I am here! I GUESS MS KEY NEVER GIVES UP NO?” she began in her caption.
“[A] lot of people [have] given up on my delusions and aspirations, but what kept me going is myself! I vowed to myself to never stop until you reach your goal and my GOAL IS SIMPLY TO BE A VOICE OF CHANGE AND HOPE!” she continued, adding that she's aspiring to be a beauty queen with true purpose.
Prior to this, Trajano took part in Century Tuna Superbods last July, where she finished in the Top 8 and bagged the Fitness Breakthrough Award.
More details about the MUPH—Pampanga 2025 pageant, including its activities and official coronation night, have yet to be announced.
Miss Universe began allowing transgenders to join the prestigious event in 2013, according to Reuters. The first-ever transgender candidate to join the tilt was Spain’s Angela Ponce, who competed back in 2018. In 2023, two transwomen joined the pageant, namely Rikkie Valerie Kollé of the Netherlands and Marina Machete of Portugal.
