MANILA – The Philippine delegate to this year’s Miss United Continents was crowned as the new winner of the beauty pageant held at the Palacio de Cristal in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday.

Jeslyn Santos, 23, bested 27 other contestants from countries around the world including the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico, among others.

This is the first time the Philippines won the Miss United Continents title.

According to its official site, the pageant has been held in Guayaquil, Ecuador since 2006 and boasts of the participation of 21 official beauty queens from the American continent who have all been previous contestants, finalists or winners of Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth from their respective nations.

Pageant director and owner, Maria del Carmen de Aguayo, has since decided to expand it worldwide. As such, the competition’s has been changed from Miss American Continent to Miss United Continent.

This year’s competition is only the fourth edition of Miss United Continents.