A quick scan of Samantha Panlilio s Instagram account will show a smattering of Barbie or Filipino Barbie reactions written in the comments section. It s hardly a surprise. The former Binibining Pilipinas Grand International resembles the world s most famous doll after all, given her chiseled facial features, toned physique and overall aura. While flattered, the 27-year-old secretly hopes her followers liken her to Boss Barbie among the doll s many professions a lady who is smart, confident and of leadership material owing to her off-stage achievements.
Binibini Samantha Alexandra Panlilio of Cavite took her family’s pageant legacy to the next step.
Panlilio, 25, belongs to the illustrious Panlilio clan of the Southern Tagalog Region. Her aunt, the late Myrna Panlilio Borromeo, was the country’s first Philppine representative to the Miss Universe beauty pageant in 1964. “I am very honored and excited about it.”
This Binibining Pilipinas frontrunner is a graduate of business and computer science at the University of California Irvine. After she studied in the US for seven years, Panlilio moved to the Philippines two years ago. She was born and raised in the Philippines.