Athena Imperial

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Athena Imperial
Born
Athena Mae Duarte Imperial

February 2, 1987 (1987-02-02) (age 39)
Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines[1]
OccupationField reporter
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Spouse
John Ben Rodriguez
​
(m. 2018)​
Children1
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title
Hair color
Black
Eye color
Brown
Major competitions
  • Miss Philippines Earth 2011
  • (Winner)
  • Miss Earth 2011
  • (Miss Earth – Water)

Athena Mae Duarte Imperial-Rodriguez (born February 2, 1987)[3] is a Filipino news field reporter, communication researcher and beauty pageant titleholder.[4][5] She entered the 2011 Miss Philippines Earth beauty pageant and was crowned Miss Earth-Water 2011.[6]

Personal life and career

Imperial was born on February 2, 1987, in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija but grew up in Casiguran, Aurora.[7] She is the eldest child of Angel Imperial, a Philippine National Food Authority employee, and the former Mercy Duarte, a housewife. Formerly, she worked as a researcher and writer for GMA television network's investigative news magazine show, Reporter's Notebook.[8] She is a news anchor and senior correspondent at GMA News TV.[9]

On April 2, 2018, Imperial married stock market advocate John Ben Rodriguez.[10]

Education

Imperial completed her elementary and secondary education at the College of the Immaculate Conception in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.[11][12] She later graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman.[13]

Pageantry

Miss Philippines Earth 2011

Imperial joined and represented Casiguran, Aurora in the national Miss Philippines Earth 2011.[14] She was one of the initial 50 candidates,[15] and after a series of four eliminations, she was announced as one of the final 10 finalists during the talent and cultural costume competitions at Thunderbird Resorts in Binangonan, Rizal.[16][17]

In the final competition of the Miss Philippines Earth 2011, she competed and achieved one of the five highest scores in the swimsuit, and evening gown competitions for her stage chops and question and answer portion of the pageant. At the conclusion of the pageant, she won and was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2011. She was crowned by the outgoing Miss Philippines Earth 2011 titleholder, Psyche Resus on June 5, 2011, at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum in Palawan. She also won the People's Choice award.[3]

After her feat in the Miss Philippines Earth pageant, the governor of the Philippine province of Aurora remarked that Imperial would someday follow in her footsteps as governor and said: "Every time I heard her speak, I told myself one day she will become governor of Aurora,"[18] because Imperial has a good political persona and given that she is a graduate of the country's premiere school, the University of the Philippines Diliman, where the Angaras had learned the hard knocks of life.[19][20]

Miss Earth 2011

Imperial finished third place during the coronation night of the Miss Earth 2011 beauty pageant held December 3, 2011, at the University of the Philippines Theater, Diliman, Quezon City. She was crowned Miss Earth - Water.[21]

Controversies

On May 13, 2026, Imperial formally filed a criminal complaint for acts of lasciviousness against her fellow GMA Integrated News reporter, Nico Waje. [22]

See also

References

  1. Santiago, Ervin (May 15, 2026). "Who is Athena Imperial?". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  2. Schuck, Lorraine (May 1, 2011). "Miss Municipality of Casiguran, Aurora". Miss Philippines Earth 2011 website. Archived from the original on August 1, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  3. "Miss Philippines-Earth 2011 Athena Mae Imperial clarifies misconstrued statement about Shamcey Supsup". Philippine Entertainment Portal. October 14, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  4. Patao Jr., Jose D. (June 10, 2011). "Another goddess rules the Earth". Malaya. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  5. Requintina, Robert. R. (June 6, 2011). "New beauty queen anti-nukes". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  6. "Casiguran beauty wins Miss Philippines-Earth 2011". ABS-CBN News. June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  7. Santiago, Ervin (May 15, 2026). "Who is Athena Imperial?". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  8. Yazon, Giovanni Paolo J. (June 10, 2011). "Candidate from Aurora is Miss Philippines-Earth 2011". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  9. "Miss Earth Philippines winners: Where are they now?". Rappler. May 16, 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  10. "GMA reporter Athena Imperial is married!". GMA News Online. April 3, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  11. Santiago, Ervin (May 15, 2026). "Who is Athena Imperial?". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  12. "College of the Immaculate Conception (Cabanatuan)".
  13. "Another UP grad lands beauty title, this time as Ms. Earth Water". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  14. Conejero, Ginger (May 7, 2011). "Miss Philippines-Earth beauties tour Calapan, Mindoro". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  15. Dumaual, Mario V. (May 17, 2011). "Ms. Philippines Earth 2011 beauties wow Quezon town". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  16. "Top 10 finalists of Miss Philippines Earth 2011 unveiled". ABS-CBN News. May 23, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  17. "Top 10 Miss Philippines Earth beauties ready for coronation night". ABS-CBN News. May 29, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  18. Bañez, Mamer (June 10, 2011). "Ms. Philippines-Earth could be Aurora gov". Journal Online. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  19. Adina, Armin (December 4, 2011). "Another UP grad lands beauty title, this time as Ms. Earth Water". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  20. "'Miss Philippines-Earth 2011' a gov-in-the-making?". The Philippine Star. June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  21. "PH bet finishes 3rd in Miss Earth 2011". ABS-CBN. December 4, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  22. Licsi, Ayie (May 13, 2026). "GMA reporter Athena Imperial files acts of lasciviousness complaint vs former colleague Nico Waje". PhilSTAR L!fe. Retrieved June 10, 2026.