The 2016 Miss Universe pageant is just three days away, and fans are eager to see who will succeed 2015 Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach as the new titleholder.
Filipino fans, in particular, are hoping that the country’s 2016 bet, Maxine Medina, will pull off the impossible and win the crown for the country again.

While we wait for that with bated breath, let’s take a look back on the three fabulous women that brought glory to the country by besting the competition to become the most beautiful woman in the universe.

Let’s take a look at their hometowns and see the sights that these winners grew up with.

Hometown: Aringay, La Union

Gloria Diaz made history in 1969 when she became the first Filipino to win the Miss Universe crown. After charming the judges, Diaz went on to charm the Filipino public, starting an acting career that is still alive today. Her first movie role was as the lead in Celso Ad Castillo’s “Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa”, for which she was nominated for the Best Actress award at the FAMAS Awards. She’s gone on to win acting accolades for films like “Jose Rizal,” “Batang West Side,” “Nasaan Ka Man,” and “Sagrada Familia”.Diaz grew up in the second-class municipality of Aringay, La Union, which has a population of 44,949 people according to a 2010 census. Aside from being the birthplace of Diaz, revolutionary Diego Silang, and former President Elpidio Quirino, Aringay is also where the La Union Centennial Tunnel is located. It was initially built for Philippine National Railways trains that were headed for Baguio, but the Second World War led to the Commonwealth government abandoning the project.

Hometown: Manila, National Capital Region

The second Filipina to take the Miss Universe crown for the country was Margie Moran-Floirendo, who was 19 years old when she won the 1973 Miss Universe crown. While Moran-Floirendo dabbled in the entertainment industry with the talk show “Margie on Mindanao” and as producer of the critically-acclaimed “Bagong Buwan”, she is best known for her advocacy work in Mindanao. She was executive vice chair of the Mindanao Commission on Women and spearheaded the Mothers for Peace campaign, which crusaded for non-violence in Mindanao. Moran-Floirendo grew up in Manila, and as the nation’s capital, it has lots to offer any tourist looking to visit. Looking for history? You can walk on the walls of Intramuros and immerse yourself in the country’s Spanish past. Shopping? Divisoria has all the deals for you, and at prices that you won’t believe. You’ll be hard-pressed not to find anything to do in this vibrant city.

Hometown: Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental

Only the third Filipina to win the crown, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach’s 2015 win was memorable, to say the least. Host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced the Philippines as first runner-up, and the resulting confusion became arguably one of the most talked about moments in live television history. During her reign, Wurtzbach focused on raising awareness about HIV and cyberbullying, as well as helping raise resources to build 6000 homes for the victims of an earthquake in Machala, Ecuador. She also walked in fashion shows and served as Inside Edition’s special correspondent for Super Bowl 50. While Wurtzbach was born in Stuttgart, Germany, she grew up in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City, the country’s 10th most populous city with 675,950 people, according to a 2015 census. Cagayan de Oro is most famous for white water rafting, which people can try on the Cagayan de Oro River.CDO is also where the Huluga Caves are located. The Huluga Caves is where the remains of a prehistoric woman and child were found in the 1970s, with the remains dating as far back as 377 AD, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, USA.

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