• Alicia Faubel was crowned Miss Universe Spain 2022. Photo: @missuniversespainorg
    Alicia Faubel was crowned Miss Universe Spain 2022. Photo: @missuniversespainorg
  • Polaroids of Faubel after she won the competition. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
    Polaroids of Faubel after she won the competition. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
  • The model on her way to a photo shoot. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
    The model on her way to a photo shoot. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
  • Faubel in Manila. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
    Faubel in Manila. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
  • She lived in Manila for a while. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
    She lived in Manila for a while. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
  • Faubel in New York. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram
    Faubel in New York. Photo: alicia.faubel / Instagram

Miss Universe Spain Alicia Faubel floors Filipino fans with fluent Tagalog while in Manila


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A video showing Miss Universe Spain Alicia Faubel speaking fluent Tagalog is winning her fans online, especially Filipinos from around the world.

Faubel, 25, who won the crown last month and will represent her country at Miss Universe 2022 pageant in January, was in Manila for a week of charity work.

In the video, Faubel can be seen speaking in fluent Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, with a young boy as she offers him street food.

"Gusto mo'to? Ilan? [You want it? How many?]" Faubel asks the boy, whose name viewers later find out is Patrick, 11.

The pair can then be seen sharing a joke and high-fiving as they chat in Tagalog.

The video then cuts to Faubel and Patrick riding in a pedicab, a motorised tricycle popular in the Philippines.

Still speaking in Tagalog, Faubel asks Patrick who his favourite Miss Universe contestant was, to which the boy replies "Ikaw [you]", earning a hug from the beauty queen.

Faubel, who shared the video on her Instagram reels, captioned it in Tagalog, writing: "Brother Patrick is so kind and sweet. Next time, let's do a tokneneng mukbang," referring to a popular Filipino street food made of eggs and orange batter.

The video has been viewed more than 35,000 times since it was posted on Wednesday, with many praising Faubel for her kindness and charm, and floored by her Tagalog skills.

Faubel, a model and actress, learned to speak Tagalog when she lived in Manila for three years. She has also previously lived in Dubai, where she worked as a model.

In another post, Faubel said she will soon return to Manila to prepare for the Miss Universe pageant.

"Can’t wait for the start of November. I will start my beauty pageant training in the Philippines. Two countries working together into getting the best version of myself for the crown. Can’t thank you enough for the love. See you soon Philippines," she said.

Faubel is not the only beauty queen to head to the pageant-mad Philippines to prep for the crown. Miss Universe Bahrain, Evelin Khalifa, was also in the country last month for a pageant boot camp.

From right: Miss Universe Bahrain Evlin Khalifa, Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi, photographer BJ Pascual, Miss Universe Bahrain national director Josh Yugen, Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa and Ian Borromeo, the co-founder of Yugen Group. Photo: Yugen Group
From right: Miss Universe Bahrain Evlin Khalifa, Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi, photographer BJ Pascual, Miss Universe Bahrain national director Josh Yugen, Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa and Ian Borromeo, the co-founder of Yugen Group. Photo: Yugen Group

About 70 countries far and wide — from the UK to Ukraine and Guatemala to Ghana — have named their representatives for the Miss Universe 2022 pageant, with more to be unveiled over the coming months.

The annual event, which was initially meant to be held later this year to crown the 2022 winner, was postponed earlier this month, extending the reign of the current title-holder, Harnaaz Sandhu from India.

New Orleans will host the pageant on January 14.

Scroll through the gallery below for all the Miss Universe 2022 contestants who've been crowned so far

  • Miss Universe Turkey 2022 is Aleyana Sirin. Photo: Instagram / Aleyanasirinn
    Miss Universe Turkey 2022 is Aleyana Sirin. Photo: Instagram / Aleyanasirinn
  • Miss Universe Italy 2022 is Virginia Stablum. Photo: / Instagram / Virginia.Stablum
    Miss Universe Italy 2022 is Virginia Stablum. Photo: / Instagram / Virginia.Stablum
  • Miss Universe Kyrgyzstan 2022 is Altynai Botoyarova. Photo: Instagram / botoyarova_altynai
    Miss Universe Kyrgyzstan 2022 is Altynai Botoyarova. Photo: Instagram / botoyarova_altynai
  • Evlin Khalifa, 24, is the second Miss Universe Bahrain. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain
    Evlin Khalifa, 24, is the second Miss Universe Bahrain. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain
  • Miss Universe Spain, Alicia Faubel, comes from Alicante and has lived in Dubai and the Philippines. Photo: Instagram / alicia.aliccia
    Miss Universe Spain, Alicia Faubel, comes from Alicante and has lived in Dubai and the Philippines. Photo: Instagram / alicia.aliccia
  • Divita Rai, 23, winner of India's Miss Diva Universe 2022. Photo: Miss Diva
    Divita Rai, 23, winner of India's Miss Diva Universe 2022. Photo: Miss Diva
  • Sophiya Bhujel was crowned Oriflame Miss Universe Nepal 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Nepal
    Sophiya Bhujel was crowned Oriflame Miss Universe Nepal 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Nepal
  • Ndavi Nokeri, winner of Miss Universe South Africa 2022. Photo: Miss South Africa
    Ndavi Nokeri, winner of Miss Universe South Africa 2022. Photo: Miss South Africa
  • Anna Sueangam-iam was named Miss Universe Thailand 2022. Photo: Miss Universe
    Anna Sueangam-iam was named Miss Universe Thailand 2022. Photo: Miss Universe
  • Balsam Hussein when she was declared Miss Iraq 2022. Azhar Al-Rubaie for The National
    Balsam Hussein when she was declared Miss Iraq 2022. Azhar Al-Rubaie for The National
  • Yasmina Zaytoun after being crowned Miss Lebanon 2022 at Forum De Beirut. EPA
    Yasmina Zaytoun after being crowned Miss Lebanon 2022 at Forum De Beirut. EPA
  • Noky Simbani was crowned Miss Universe Great Britain 2022. Photo: Instagram / Miss Universe Great Britain
    Noky Simbani was crowned Miss Universe Great Britain 2022. Photo: Instagram / Miss Universe Great Britain
  • Miss Ukraine 2022 is Viktoria Apanasenko, first runner-up from last year's contest. There was no pageant held this year owing to the war in the country. Photo: Instagram / Viktoria Apanasenko
    Miss Ukraine 2022 is Viktoria Apanasenko, first runner-up from last year's contest. There was no pageant held this year owing to the war in the country. Photo: Instagram / Viktoria Apanasenko
  • Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau has been named Miss Universe Vietnam 2022. Photo: Facebook / Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau
    Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau has been named Miss Universe Vietnam 2022. Photo: Facebook / Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau
  • Filipino-Italian beauty queen Celeste Cortesi was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 in Manila. EPA-EFE
    Filipino-Italian beauty queen Celeste Cortesi was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 in Manila. EPA-EFE
  • Bhutan is marking its pageant debut this year and Tashi Choden is the country's first beauty queen. Photo: Tashi Choden
    Bhutan is marking its pageant debut this year and Tashi Choden is the country's first beauty queen. Photo: Tashi Choden
  • Laksmi Suardana took the Puteri Indonesia 2022 crown, becoming the first contestant from Bali to enter Miss Universe. Photo: Laksmi Shari De Neefe Suardana
    Laksmi Suardana took the Puteri Indonesia 2022 crown, becoming the first contestant from Bali to enter Miss Universe. Photo: Laksmi Shari De Neefe Suardana
  • Miss Universe Ghana 2022 Engracia Afua K Mofuman was one of the first women to be crowned in 2022, in order to compete in the 71st Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Engracia Mofuman
    Miss Universe Ghana 2022 Engracia Afua K Mofuman was one of the first women to be crowned in 2022, in order to compete in the 71st Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Engracia Mofuman
  • Hanna Kim, from Seoul, will represent South Korea in the next Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Hanna Ming
    Hanna Kim, from Seoul, will represent South Korea in the next Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Hanna Ming
  • The first and last time the Seychelles competed in Miss Universe was 1995 and so, after that 27-year hiatus, Gabriella Gonthier, from Mahe, will be representing her home country. Photo: Gabriella Gonthier/ Miss University Africa
    The first and last time the Seychelles competed in Miss Universe was 1995 and so, after that 27-year hiatus, Gabriella Gonthier, from Mahe, will be representing her home country. Photo: Gabriella Gonthier/ Miss University Africa
  • Amelia Tu, from Vancouver, winner of Miss Universe Canada 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Canada
    Amelia Tu, from Vancouver, winner of Miss Universe Canada 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Canada
  • Miss Universe Jamaica 2022, Toshami Calvin, 26, is the cousin of Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh. Photo: Instagram / officialmissuniversejamaica
    Miss Universe Jamaica 2022, Toshami Calvin, 26, is the cousin of Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh. Photo: Instagram / officialmissuniversejamaica
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Updated: October 18, 2022, 4:28 AM