From Academia to Pageantry: A Mother’s Pride
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Yvonne with her Mom, Cecilia Yngson- The night she won the 2025 Ginang Filipinas Beauty Pageant.
From the time Yvonne entered grade school at Assumption to her years at the University of the Philippines High School and St. Paul University College of Nursing in Iloilo City, Yngson had been pinning medals onto her daughter’s uniforms. She once again witnessed Yvonne’s academic triumph when she walked the stage at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, to receive her master’s degree in Public Health.
But this year, watching Yvonne walk on stage in a pink, glittering sequin dress, and being crowned the 2025 Ginang Filipinas America winner at Emerald Queen Hotel and Casino in Tacoma, Washington, was a moment she never dared to imagine or dream about.
Yvonne on the pageant stage (Photo by Jojo Gochangco)
“I jumped, I screamed, I cried,” Yngson said when Yvonne’s name was announced as the winner.
The daughter who was once not allowed to join the Santacruzan or Flores de Mayo celebrations in their province took a brave turn and embarked on an unexpected journey—from displaying honor medals to wearing the glittering crown of a beauty pageant winner.
Radiant Moment
Behind that radiant moment was a journey filled with months of preparation, triumphs, setbacks, and defeats that made Yvonne’s resilience shine brighter on the night of September 6. As she was being crowned, Yngson said it was a moment of shared triumph with friends in North Texas who were jumping with joy the moment they heard the news.
Czarina Trinidad, one of Yvonne’s best friends in North Texas and a fellow Dallas Santacruzan Queen, said she knew Yvonne had the “perfect recipe to win the competition,” but there was not a moment before the event when she knew who would win.
Czarina Trinidad (Photo courtesy of Czarina Trinidad)
“Deep in my heart, I know that whatever she does, she can achieve her dreams when she puts her mind and heart into it,” Trinidad said. “I did not want to expect or pressure her at all, but I know she loves doing pageants as a way of improving herself and inspiring people.”
Trinidad recalled that she was at Fizz Bar in Plano, Texas, with close friends on the night of the pageant, already making plans for Yvonne’s victory party even before she was crowned. She said she and her friends watched the pageant online, cheering for Yvonne until past midnight, right up to the moment her name was announced as the new 2025 Ginang Filipinas America winner.
As they watched that emotional moment, Yvonne, on stage at the same time, said she “felt surrounded by the presence of God” as the previous winner placed the crown on her head.
“That’s when I knew this victory was not mine alone, but His,” Yvonne said. “It was a fulfillment of His divine plan for my life.”
Ruben “Buboi” Asuncion III, founder of the Ginang Filipinas America pageant, said in an email that the two-year-old event was inspired by his experience directing Ginang Alaska, a pageant produced by the Alaska Milk brand in the Philippines.
“That event honored Filipina wives and mothers, and it opened my eyes to the power of storytelling through pageantry,” Asuncion said. “From that pageant, Ginang Filipinas America was born from my deep respect for the strength and grace of Filipina women—especially the mothers and wives whose stories often go unheard. I wanted to build a platform that honors their sacrifices, celebrates their beauty, and amplifies their voices across the United States and beyond.”
Best Friends and Dallas SantaCruzan Queens. Czarina Trinidad and Yvonne Yngson Gochangco
Embracing a New World
Arriving in North Carolina with her husband, Jojo Gochangco (a former matinee idol in the 1980s), and their three children in 2001, Yvonne embraced a new world filled with promise and big dreams, not knowing that what had started with a nursing cap would lead to a beauty crown.
From that time on, the ladder of success she climbed was set higher, and with every step forward and upward, the future looked bright in America. Her biography reads like a story of courage, determination, and an unstoppable drive to reach the seemingly unreachable star.
In 2006, Yvonne said she “aced her anesthesia panel interview and was awarded immediate acceptance at Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Anesthesia Program in North Carolina, along with $25,000 in scholarship money.” She went on to earn her degree in nurse anesthesia and later became a certified registered nurse anesthetist—marking yet another milestone in her professional journey.
After living in North Carolina and later in Virginia, the Gochangcos moved to North Texas in 2016, where a new world opened for Yvonne—a glamorous one of local beauty pageants, elegant gowns, and shimmering crowns as bright as the Texas stars on a summer night. The winds of destiny blew in her favor in 2022 when she was chosen as the “Reyna Elena” in the Dallas Santacruzan Queen event founded by Jil Lasaca, a community leader in North Texas and Yvonne’s pageant coach. Or, as Yvonne believed, it was all part of God’s plan for her.
“I understand that God has called me to be an instrument for His greater plans,” Yvonne said. “This journey has shown me that when you surrender your dreams to God, He turns them into something far more beautiful than you could ever imagine.”
Invited to Pageants
After serving as Reyna Elena, Yvonne was invited to compete in the Mrs. Texas International pageant in 2023, where she emerged as first runner-up and took home seven out of eight awards, including Best in Interview, Best in Evening Gown, People’s Choice, Congeniality, Marriage, Marketing, and Influencer awards. That same year, Yvonne won the Most Glamorous Model of the Year Award at the Ms. International Runway Glamour Fashion Show in Dallas.
From Texas, she flew to Tennessee to compete in the Mrs. International pageant, carrying the title of Mrs. Philippines International. She didn’t win, but she said she “gained an incredible experience that she was able to use in the 2025 Ginang Filipinas America national pageant.”
Behind all the preparations, Lasaca was there to refine her and bring out her confidence—not just for the competition, but for the moment she would finally believe in her own power and beauty.
“When she left for the pageant, we focused on the right mindset and right attitude,” Lasaca said. “I advised her to take everything as part of the human experience. I told her, with or without the title, you are already a winner because you took a risk beyond your comfort zone. That’s what makes us winners in whatever field of life we are in.”
Yvonne performing at the Ginang Filipinas Pagaent (Photo by Jojo Gochangco)
Ginang Filipinas America’s Vision
Asuncion said his vision when Ginang Filipinas America began “was to create more than a pageant. It had to be a movement—a space where women could reclaim their narratives, showcase their cultural pride, and inspire others through their journeys,” he said. “I wanted it to be rooted in advocacy, legacy, and empowerment.”
And it’s here where Yvonne embodied that vision.
“I truly believe God chose me for this crown with a mission and a purpose,” she said. “I have used my platform to inspire women to embrace their God-given worth, to rise from life’s challenges, and to walk boldly in faith. Through speaking engagements, charity events, and my strong online and community presence, I share messages of hope and resilience. I advocate for women’s empowerment, cultural pride, and community service—reminding others that we are never too old, too broken, or too busy to make a difference.”
Yvonne with Family - 2025 Ginang Filipinas Coronation Night
Those words echo the character that Lasaca and Trinidad have seen in Yvonne.
As the coach, Lasaca said she goes “deeper into character, values, purpose, and integrity.”
Trinidad still finds herself in awe of Yvonne’s grace and the way she lives out her faith and purpose in her daily life, even though they’ve been friends for years.
“She has lots of other personal, business, and career responsibilities, and she simply amazes me,” Trinidad said. “Yvonne is very experienced in local and national pageants and big events, and she can manage all these pressures very well. She is very experienced in life in general and has surpassed many storms with grace. She is my personal role model for strength and resilience as a woman of beauty and influence.”
And true to her word, Trinidad, together with her friend Rhobie Underwood, threw Yvonne a two-day, Texas-sized victory celebration. Their friends gathered at Fizz Bar for a joyous evening that stretched late into the night. Yngson made sandwiches and egg rolls for the guests. Hugs, toasts, and cheers filled the air—each moment a heartfelt tribute to Yvonne’s crowning glory.
Victory party celebration at Fizz Bar in Plano, Texas, given by Rhobie Underwood (left) and Czarina Trinidad (right)
Inspiring Filipinos in North Texas
“Yvonne’s victory is vital for Filipinos in North Texas because her reign serves as an inspiration,” Underwood said. “I believe that Filipinos, whether they’re into pageantry or not, can always relate to the idea and narrative of overcoming struggles and challenges. Yvonne went through a lot to reach the place and title she truly deserves.”
The following day, another grand festivity unfolded at White Rock Lake Park in Dallas. Like a town fiesta, it began with a parade of local beauty queens, friends, community leaders, and Yvonne’s family. The festivities came alive with performances from The Maharlika Dancers USA, All Stars Dancers, and Dance E Motion, showcasing native dances alongside a touch of Texas flair, as performers twirled in native outfits with adorned salakot (wide-brimmed straw hats), cowboy hats, boots, and red, white, and blue mini-skirts.
The event was complete with the comforting flavors of home—lechon, pancit, trays of egg rolls, and other beloved Filipino dishes reminiscent of a town fiesta celebrating a beauty queen who hails from Frisco, Texas.
More Than a Crown
For Underwood, Yvonne’s victory was more than a crown.
“Her coronation is a satisfying moment for those who believe in the power of their dreams and hard work,” she said. “Through her involvement in the activities and initiatives as the titleholder of Ginang Filipinas America, she nurtures important relationships such as friendships, family, connections, and networking. Also, her victory is a product of values like loyalty, hard work, faith, love, patience, and hope—values that will always resonate with Filipinos as they continue to fight for their dreams.”
For Yvonne’s sons, Zeus and Jazzys, their mother’s win was a reflection of the family’s dedication and dreams. “Her win means so much to us,” Zeus said. “It’s a blessing and a proud moment for our whole family because we know the hard work, sacrifices, and love she’s poured into everything she does, especially her charity efforts and previous pageant competitions. Seeing her recognized in such a big way is like seeing our own family’s values and heritage celebrated.”
Behind that radiant moment was a journey filled with months of preparation, triumphs, setbacks, and defeats that made Yvonne’s resilience shine brighter on the night of September 6.
In 2022, Yvonne established the Promise of Tomorrow Global Movement, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides scholarships, school supplies, and academic support to underserved schools and communities in the Philippines and Africa.
For Jazzys, the crown has given his mom more visibility.
“Now that she’s won, more people get to see the example she’s been setting all her life,” he said. “Even before the pageant, she was the kind of person people looked up to because she balances strength and kindness in everything she does. She’s shown me and the community that being a role model doesn’t mean being perfect—it’s about being real, being compassionate, and showing that you can overcome challenges while still lifting others up along the way.”
For Yngson, Yvonne’s brilliance does not come from the crown but from her personality, charm, and heart.
“Yvonne has always been a giver,” Yngson said. “She just gives and gives and gives.”
And in that reflection, the Filipinos in North Texas see not just a beauty queen, but a woman whose story inspires far beyond the stage.
Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood is a freelance writer and actress in North Texas.
