Reina Hispanoamericana 2025 Dia Maté | Photography by Miguel Coronado

The Philippines once again made history in the world of pageantry as Dia Maté became the second Filipina to claim the Reina Hispanoamericana 2025 crown.

When asked to describe her 2025 so far, Dia’s words paint a picture of a year filled with intense emotions and remarkable transformation. “Very enriching, entertaining, scary, beautiful—so many different adjectives I can [use to] describe this year because I learned so much about myself. I feel like I grew so much in literally just a span of three months because of my experience in Bolivia and everything. To sum it up, it was a really beautiful experience for me,” said Dia.

The path to the crown was far from easy, yet each hurdle turned into a chance for self-improvement and personal growth. Competing in a country where Spanish is the dominant language, and surrounded by women immersed in Hispanic culture all their lives, Dia had to stretch her capabilities. Rather than viewing it as a hindrance, she embraced the challenge head-on: “It's taught me a lot about resilience and being able to push through despite how hard it is.”

Dia Maté in her "Banaag" national costume, inspired by the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, by Ehrran Montoya | Photo by EJ Geronimo via Ehrran Montoya

Many may perceive Reina Hispanoamericana as a smaller-scale pageant compared to the other major league beauty contests, but for Dia, it proved to be equally challenging.

“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, it’s just a small pageant. It’s just regional. It’s not as big as Miss Universe or Miss World or Miss International.’ But I beg to differ. You are in Latin territory, and the Latinas are very, very talented, capable, intelligent, beautiful women who are all aiming for the same crown. Of course, in a Spanish-speaking pageant, these women speak Spanish, so they really have the upper hand,” she asserted.

Adjusting to the language barrier was one of the toughest struggles in her case. She had taken Spanish lessons before the pageant, but nothing could have fully prepared her for the real-life immersion she experienced in Bolivia.

“As someone from Asia, it was a bit hard for me to adjust. I took Spanish before this. I really had to speed up my learning process with Spanish. Buti na lang, I was able to learn more Spanish and understand half of what they were saying.”

Her determination to excel despite the odds showcases her tenacity and the essence of a true beauty queen—someone who not just shines in the spotlight but thrives even in the face of adversity. “It’s really about trusting myself, knowing the skills that I have, and being able to adapt in scenarios where I cannot control the narrative,” she added.

Girl on fire! "Red and gold, the true embodiment of the power of the Filipinas," Dia said of this fashion moment in an ensemble by Er Stephen Alvarado. | Photo by EJ Geronimo 

Beyond the competition, what stood out for Dia were the friendships she built along the way. Among the other 24 candidates, she found a second family, forming an especially close bond with her roommate, Estefania Ibarra a.k.a. Miss Bolivia, and Miss Poland, Zuzanna Balonek.

“We called each other little family, like I was the middle child, Estefania was the older sister and then Zu was like the baby sister. We created like a nice little best-friend group there and every memory that I made with them was unforgettable,” the titleholder shared.

Representing the Philippines meant carrying the weight of an entire nation's reputation, and for Dia, this was a badge of honor. “I’m most proud of our people and how we present ourselves as Filipinos. Every time I would speak to people from the organization, they would say, ‘Philippines is always the nicest, sweetest candidate.’ And that’s something to be proud of,” she divulged.

Dia acknowledged the unique identity of Filipinas in the pageant world, noting that while Filipinas may not always fit the Latina beauty standards, they bring something just as powerful—genuine kindness, warmth, and hospitability.

Dia Maté in a gown by Rian Fernandez | Photography by Karl Russel Garlitos

Off-duty queen: Dia's sense of style

Though pageants often showcase queens in dazzling gowns and elaborate hairstyles, Dia has a different aesthetic when she's off-duty. “In real life, I'm very edgy. I love leather. I love black. I love neutral colors,” she confessed. Her go-to outfit? A tank top, jeans, chunky sneakers, and a big, leather jacket—far from the glamorous dresses she dons on stage.

“I’m always wearing something baggy. It’s my favorite type of style because I love to be chic, comfortable, and edgy at the same time. It's a huge contrast to who I am as a beauty queen because when I go to my press cons and my interviews, I'm like in cute little dresses, bright dresses but I'm like, this is me as a beauty queen, but it's not me as in real life,” she added.

When it comes to style icons, she admires the effortless elegance of Heart Evangelista and Pia Wurtzbach and the cool, laid-back fashion of international models Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber.

Photo from @diaxmate

Music as a form of healing

More than a beauty queen, Dia is a musician and mental health advocate. Music has always been her refuge, a passion she developed as a child. “I remember when I was like five years old, I asked my mom, I was like, ‘Mom, can I please have piano lessons? Can I please have voice lessons?’ Kasi for me, I really wanted to get into the music thing,” she shared, adding how she was influenced by her relatives who were inclined to singing and theater.

“Imagine a little 10-year-old filming herself for YouTube singing. I love doing that and I love music. I guess, I listened to so much music growing up. So, I taught myself eventually how to play guitar and then ukulele, and then started writing my own songs, posting them on YouTube, and doing a lot of covers. Not a lot of them are up anymore. But I did that a lot.”

While her journey with music began at a young age, it wasn’t until she faced her own mental health challenges that she discovered its true healing power. It’s not just mere entertainment, it’s therapy, empowerment, and a lifeline for those who need an outlet for their emotions.

Dia has gone through anxiety and depression. She was also diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). “As someone who has experienced mental illness, music therapy is so helpful. And that's what a lot of people don't realize,” she told Metro.Style.

“Even the regular person doesn't need to book a music therapist; you can do it yourself. You can find songs you relate to. You can write lyrics on a piece of paper. And you can just let it all out in the safest way possible. And that's why I made my music. I wanted to show people that they weren't alone in what they were feeling,” Dia added.

Her work with the Cribs Foundation, where she teaches music to young girls aged 7 to 17 who are victims of abuse, is a reflection of her desire to use her platform for something meaningful.

“I teach the music there because I want to give them that creative outlet to really have something to hold on to when they're feeling something. And something that's going to help them release from their trauma as well. And I guess it's also why I make my empowering music now with my songs like 'Ganda Gandahan' and 'Ikaw Ang Pinili Ko.'”

Winning Reina Hispanoamericana has given Dia a powerful platform, and she plans to use it to amplify her advocacy through her upcoming music projects. She is currently working on her debut studio album, a collection of songs infused with themes of empowerment, self-love, and social consciousness.

“After I won Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas, I released ‘Ganda Gandahan.‘ I want to change my whole branding. And I want to be the, I guess, ‘main Filipino pop girl.’ I want to be that pop girl,” she admitted.

Her first single is an anthem of self-confidence, created with the LGBTQ+ and ballroom communities in mind. “It's literally about empowering other women, the masses, the youth, people from the community. Because, of course, who doesn't want to feel maganda every day? We need a song that we can unapologetically use on TikTok and just feel our most pretty, beautiful self,” Dia shared.

“I wanted to follow that theme moving forward, especially for my album, with each song having a specific purpose, each song having either a true story to my life, or an advocacy, or something that's really, really fun.”

Her next single is set to be a major collaboration with an OPM icon—a song she describes as “a movement” meant to make listeners feel seen, understood, and strong.

Photography by Lyndon Kyle Asuncion

Battling lupus with a purpose

While many see Dia as a beauty queen and a rising music star, a few realize that behind the glamour, she is also a warrior who navigates life with lupus, an autoimmune disease. Diagnosed with lupus markers at 15, she has spent years battling an invisible illness that has affected her physically and mentally.

“It started with joint pains that came out of nowhere. I had a lot of hair fall, muscle pain, white patches on my skin, and rashes. I didn’t know what was happening to me. We saw two doctors before I found my rheumatologist. At that time, he didn't want to diagnose me fully with lupus, because when you are diagnosed with lupus fully, even though you have all the symptoms, you have to take steroids most of the time and other different things to manage it. And I was too young, I guess, to take the steroids,” she opened up.

Her body adjusted well in her teenage years, but as she entered adulthood, the symptoms became more intense. Stress, lack of sleep, long hours, and physical strain all contribute to flare-ups, making it more difficult to balance her demanding career. In fact, even sun exposure triggered severe fatigue and pain. “It's easy for you to adjust to lupus when you are younger. But when you get older, and now that I'm going to mid-twenties, I'm starting to really feel it,” the singer-songwriter shared.

Photo from @diaxmate

“Going through the whole pageant experience—nationally twice and internationally—was really hard on my body. There were so many instances during Reina Hispanoamericana press con, where I wanted to give up because I was so tired physically. I could feel my whole body in pain so much of the time. I was more tired than the other girls and people wouldn't understand because lupus is an invisible disease. I may look like I’m fine, but actually my whole body is in pain,” she revealed, adding how she also has to consider her polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) condition.

Yet, despite the obstacles, Dia never considered giving up on her dreams and remained steadfast in her pursuits.

“In the industry I'm in, I can't escape stress. I can't escape late nights. I can't escape how tired I'm gonna get. But for me, it's all worth it. Honestly, this is where I've always wanted to be in my life at this point when it comes to my music career, my pageant career, and everything. And I wouldn't trade it for the world, even with the illness that I have.”

Her strength is inspiring, but beyond that, she hopes to become a voice for young people battling autoimmune diseases as these issues often remain unspoken in today's generation. Dia remarked, “I want to be, I guess, a spokesperson for people my age or people who have autoimmune diseases, who feel like they're trapped with their disease and they can't do anything. Because I know how bad my lupus can get.”

Dia Maté in a gown by Leo Almodal | Photography by ImaGeM Studio

The people who helped shape her journey

Dia credits much of her strength and success to the women in her life, especially her mother and grandmothers. “Every [pageant girl] says their mom, and I honestly really have to say my mom and my lolas. My mom had me at such a young age. She had me early—19 or 20—and she really raised me to be hardworking. [She showed] me what the essence of hard work truly is because she worked so hard to support me,” she proudly said.

“In an overall sense, my mom and my dad, because when I'm in trouble or when I need help or when I need advice at any time of the day, they're going to pick up and really help me,” she added.

Beyond her family, she acknowledges the mentors who have helped her refine her craft in pageantry: “I don’t have one mentor, I am blessed with many mentors. In the beauty pageant industry, a lot of it is run by not only women but also people from the community. So, all of my mamas are gay men.”

Similarly, in the music industry, she has found guidance from producers, fellow artists, and even her boyfriend Juan Karlos who has been in the industry for over a decade. “I have so many [mentors]—all of the producers I worked with, my best friends, my boyfriend especially because I'm with him all the time. So when I need help with music advice, he's the number one person I go to. He knows a lot of people in the industry. He's been in the industry for 10 years, so he knows the most when it comes to making a decision in the act world, in the music world. So I really talk to him about that,” Dia shared.

Photo from @diaxmate

When prodded about the one inspiring woman, living or dead, whom she would like to have an in-depth conversation with, she answered Pura Villanueva, the first beauty queen crowned in the Philippines in 1908.

“I would really want to talk to her because when I was reading about beauty pageants before, the very first winner who was actually the first runner-up; she replaced the first winner because the first winner wanted to, I guess, relinquish the crown as a sign of protest to beauty pageants because it was looked at as a demeaning thing back then with the American government. But Pura wanted to use that, take that beauty pageant title and platform and turn it around and use it as something for good. I want to talk to her about her experience because it's so inspiring.”

For Dia, pageantry is more than just a display of beauty—it is a platform for empowerment and social impact, just as it was for Pura over a century ago.

She reflected, “That's why us beauty queens do what we do. People look at it as just, ‘Oh, it's just glitz and glamour. Oh, it's just girls in gowns answering questions and walking in a bikini.’ No, it's not that. We join because it's a passion. We join because we want to make a change and we want to use the platform wisely, use the crown wisely, and show the Filipino culture.”