Basta Cebuana, Gwapa!
I want you to meet a true “jack of all trades!”
Gabriella Mai Carballo, the newest titleholder of the Miss Universe Philippines Cebu, hailing from Cebu City, North, she is more than just a pretty face.
From excelling in a variety of extracurricular activities like soccer, basketball, and track and field to showcasing her talent in many more disciplines. Her journey is about purpose and more than just versatility alone. Carballo was born in Miami, Florida to first generation Bisaya immigrants—her mother is from Cebu while her father is from Dumaguete—growing up in a blend of cultures that converged together.
Gabbi’s parents encourage to explore everything, creating a safe space to thrive and personal freedom when trying something new. However, it also came with challenges during her teenage years on how she could grapple to align all her passions. She discovered pageantry as a way to let her multifaceted self shine using the platform.
Our new queen started her pageantry days in 2017 when she won Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU) — College of Nursing Miss Valentine. A year later, she won the title Miss Mandaue and garnered many special awards and was also crowned in 2022 for the Miss Cebu pageant. As her journey continues to unfold, her academic pursuit for medicine continues to thrive. She earned her nursing degree and it is now on the path of becoming a doctor. To her, pageantry and medicine are both grounded in the act of service.
Gabbi’s heart for service started in 2018 when she launched The Green Wave Cebu, a sustainability initiative aimed at addressing environmental sanitation and improving health outcomes for underserved communities. Her advocacy grew from her realization of the deep connection between a clean environment and better health, a lesson that she learned when given the chance to speak with one of the less fortunate families.
