When the 1929 Manila Carnival re-opened after a year in hiatus, the search for Miss Philippines was expanded to include colleges and universities, making the quest even more competitive. There were candidates from well-known schools like the University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar de Senoritas, Sta. Rosa College--and even Manila College of Pharmacy.
From a lesser-known school came Angelina Villafranca, Miss Filipino Academy. She was no match, however, for the state university's candidate, Pacita de los Reyes, who had the whole school's campaign machinery behind her.