Filipina beauty queen dies of cancer at 25

Filipina beauty queen Rizzini Alexis Gomez Mutya ng Pilipinas

MANILA - Filipina beauty queen Rizzini Alexis Gomez, who was named the 2012 Miss Tourism International, died Tuesday morning after a long battle with lung cancer. She was only 25.

The news was confirmed to ABS-CBN News by Gomez' father, Roel Gomez, and Mayenne Vijandre, the public relations officer of local beauty pageant organization Mutya ng Pilipinas.

Gomez, who was even welcomed by President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang following her win, passed away at around 8:30 a.m. at the Cebu Doctors' University Hospital in Cebu City.

"A Cebuana who ruled the global pageantry scene. A great loss... Our deepest sympathy and prayers. Filipinos will always be proud of you," a post on the Facebook page of Mutya ng Pilipinas read.

Gomez found her fame after she bested more than 50 other hopefuls in the 2012 edition of the Miss Tourism International beauty pageant held in Malaysia.

The Cebu-native, who is daughter of former PBA player Rhoel Gomez, also became the muse of basketball team Alaska Aces during the same year.