Miss Earth tilt on Saturday

PHILIPPINE bet Athena Imperial photo by AUGUST DELA CRUZ

This year’s Miss Earth pageant was supposed to be held in Thailand. But the floods that devastated the capital, Bangkok, pushed the pageant owners to bring the international competition back to its birthplace, the Philippines.

Organizers have been planning since June for the tilt’s 10th anniversary edition. It was first set to take place in Pattaya, Thailand on Dec. 4, and then was moved to Bangkok.

Massive floods

But heavy monsoon rains in October caused massive flooding in Ayutthaya, and then Bangkok. Forecasters do not see the floods receding anytime soon.

Ramon Monzon, president of pageant organizer Carousel Productions, said in a statement: “It would have been insensitive, even irresponsible, to go ahead with the event in Bangkok at this time.”

The event’s Thai partner, PD Creations, has requested to instead host the pageant next year, or in 2013, Monzon told Inquirer.

Perfect time

The Miss Earth pageant promotes environmental causes. In a statement, the organization said: “With the natural calamities that have befallen Thailand, Turkey and other parts of the world, more than ever this is the best time to stage Miss Earth to call attention to pressing environmental problems.”

Prepped

The ladies started to arrive in Manila in mid-November and were billeted at the luxurious Oakwood Premiere at the Joy-Nostalg Center in Ortigas, Pasig City. They have been touring several destinations in the country and are prepped for the finals.

The Philippines’ bet is Athena Imperial. During the national pageant in Puerto Princesa City in June, Imperial blew the judges away with her impressive grasp of environmental issues and excellent communication skills.

Imperial competes with 89 others for the title. Coronation night is set at the UP Theater in Diliman, Quezon City on Dec. 3, 7 p.m. It will be seen on cable channel Star World, and on ABS-CBN Dec. 4, 10:30 p.m.