Early pageants In 2019, Esguerra competed in the Miss Teen Philippines 2019 pageant and did not reach the top five. Having previously won Miss Abra 2023, Esguerra entered the pageant as the first delegate to represent
Abra in the pageant's history. In the preliminary contests, Esguerra was one of the winners of the national costume competition with her
Dulimaman ensemble dedicated to her mother's profession as a weaver. Esguerra also won the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards, as well as two awards from the pageant's sponsors. Esguerra would progress to the top 15 question and answer round where
Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran asked her "If a time machine brings you back to 1964, 60 years ago when
Binibining Pilipinas began… what message would you tell the Filipino women of that time about the women of 2024?". In her answer, Esguerra stated that she will tell the women of 1964 that the next generation had succeeded in empowering women, emphasizing her financial independence from the age of 17 and the support given to her by the women around her. At the end of the pageant, Esguerra was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2024 by her predecessor
Angelica Lopez and
Miss International 2023 Andrea Rubio. As a winner of the pageant's 60th edition, Esguerra, along with co-winner Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2024
Jasmin Bungay, received a cash prize of
₱1,000,000, the largest cash prize in the pageant's history. She would donate part of the prize to World Vision Philippines. The Abra provincial government honored Esguerra with a homecoming parade, and she led the community dance during the 37th Cordillera Day festivities on July 15, 2024. The festival was also celebrated as "Myrna Day" in commemoration of her victory. At the conclusion of the event on November 27, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan, Esguerra finished as the fourth runner-up, with
Catalina Duque of
Colombia taking the crown. During the coronation night, Esguerra became a top 20 semifinalist and advanced to the top 10, where she was asked about her chosen
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She selected
SDG 4 (Quality Education) and
SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals), highlighting her initiative, Project Dream Readers. Esguerra expressed that being the only one among her 16 siblings to complete college is her proudest achievement. To give back to her community, she founded Dream Readers in the Philippines, a project aimed at supporting quality education and fostering partnerships, with the hope of helping children thrive and avoid the hardships she experienced. Esguerra then advanced to the top 5 finalists, where the contestants were asked to describe their entire Miss International experience to their family and loved ones. Esguerra stated that she would tell her mother she gained 79 new “siblings” through Miss International. She shared that her experience in the pageant taught her selflessness, the value of global friendships, and the importance of helping others. She felt it made her a more caring person and inspired her to continue her project as a tribute to everyone who supported her. == Advocacies ==