Ariella turns 25, set to start a fundraiser

ARIELLA Arida GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Third runner-up Miss Universe 2013 Ariella Arida marks her 25th birth anniversary this Wednesday by launching a fundraiser for the victims of “Yolanda.”

Arida, a chemistry graduate from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños, told the Inquirer that the initial donation would come from her own pocket, part of her $1,000 prize money.

With 2013 Miss Supranational Mutya Johanna Datul, Arida handed over an P11-million check from Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc.

(BPCI) to the ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation during the tree-lighting ceremonies on Saturday at the Araneta Center in Quezon City.

“I’d  like to go to [Tacloban] when the situation improves,” Arida told the Philippine Daily Inquirer at her welcome press conference last week at the Gloria Maris in Gateway Mall.

In the middle of the competition in Moscow recently, Arida said, she was monitoring the Philippine situation.

“I learned via Facebook that people in an evacuation center were washed away,” she said. “I exclaimed ‘Oh my gosh!’ so loudly that [my roommate] Risa (Santos, Miss Canada) wondered what was happening.” She said the situation “gave more sense” to her quest.

She was surprised when pageant host Thomas Roberts announced that the pageant was being dedicated to typhoon victims in the Philippines and Vietnam.

Arida said, “We were rehearsing daily, but no such announcements were made until pageant night.”

MUTYA Datul arnold almacen

Paula Shugart, Miss Universe, Organization president, was always asking how her family was doing in the Philippines, Arida related.

“I could really feel everyone’s concern,” she said. “That intensified my determination. I said earlier that I was competing for the country. The situation made the fight much more meaningful.”

She is grateful for her achievement. “I thank God for this; it truly is a blessing. I hope it made my countrymen happy,” Arida said. “I pray that it gave them hope.”

Her fourth-place finish sustained the Philippines’ presence in the pageant’s Top 5 for the fourth straight year. Venus Raj was fifth in 2010, Shamcey Supsup placed fourth in 2011 and Janine Tugonon finished second last year.