Roberta Tamondong was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2022 at the finale of Binibining Pilipinas 2022 held on 31st July 2022 at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Roberta is 19 years of age and stands 5 feet 9 inches tall and hails from San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines.
Philippines, despite sending most talented and prepared delegates, has not pioneered its win at Miss Grand International. Samantha Alexandra Panlilio represented Philippines at Miss Grand International 2021 but remained unplaced. A year before, Samantha Bernardo was adjudged first runner-up.
However, this year’s representative, Roberta Tamondong, seems like a more than capable representative of Philippines at Miss Grand International. Although Roberta is a very young woman, but she is already a pageant veteran. In 2018, she was crowned Miss Generation East 2018 Magic Circle which was her first ever beauty pageant.
In 2019, she was crowned Mutya ng San Pablo 2019 during the Coconut Festival 2019 in San Pablo. She went on to compete at Miss Teen Tourism Philippines 2019 at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater of RCBC Plaza in Metro Manila and placed as the runner-up.
Next, in 2019, she was crowned Binibining Quezon City 2019 in Quezon City, Metro Manila. She went on to compete at Miss Bikini Philippines 2019 at the AFP Theater in Quezon City where she was placed as the runner-up.
In 2020, Miss World Philippines national director Arnold Vegafria officially appointed her as Miss Eco Teen Philippines 2020 and she represented the Philippines at Miss Eco Teen International 2020 in Hurghada, Egypt and won the title. She is the first Filipino to win the title.
At the finale of Binibining Pilipinas as well, Roberta showed her oratory skills and how refined she has become at such a young age. In the Q/A round, she was asked, “Nowadays, we often hear the word 'essentials.' This point in your life, what are the missing essentials and why do you say so?"
Roberta replied, "I think one of the missing essentials nowadays, especially if you came from a Generation X, is maybe old telephones. Because the reason why, I remember my dad and I, going to a vintage shop and buying a vintage telephone and with that I can really see the importance of our history and where we came from in the past."
Roberta’s performance is proof that she is ready to take on the international pageants. Her advocacy about environmental awareness, previous pageant experience and her drive to do better as she grows makes her the ideal delegate to win the first ever Miss Grand International crown this year.