MANILA, Philippines — Karen Gallman is ready to win the Philippines’ first ever Miss Intercontinental crown in front of her countrymen at the Mall of Asia Arena on January 26.
Gallman, the last to compete among 2018’s batch of Binibining Pilipinas queens, said she spent the holidays preparing for the upcoming international pageant.
Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman poses for the press during her send-off party at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center. PHOTO by Krissy Aguilar
“I’ve prepared so very hard. It’s been very challenging and been very busy for me especially these holidays. I was still training even though it was Christmas and New Year’s,” she said during her send-off party hosted by Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BBCI) at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center on Thursday.
Present in the event were Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2018 Eva Patalinjug, Binibining Pilipinas 2018 second runner-up Samantha Bernardo, and Binibining Pilipinas Globe Michele Gumabao.
(From left) Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2018 Eva Patalinjug, Binibining Pilipinas 2018 second runner-up Samantha Bernardo, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman and Binibining Pilipinas Globe Michele Gumabao PHOTO by Krissy Aguilar
To secure the country’s first Miss International crown, she said she has been working on her walk, eating healthy, and practicing for the question and answer portion.
Moreover, Gallman said she is using her time for worthy causes.
“I’ve also been quite active on volunteering at orphanages,” she said.
The 25 year-old beauty queen shared why education is among the advocacies she is most passionate about.
“It’s a very long story and it’s very personal to me because some people might not know I grew up in Bohol. Doon ako lumaki and doon ako nag-attend ng school (I grew up there and I went to school there). And Bohol where I’m from it’s very rural. My hometown, Ubay, it’s quite in the middle of nowhere,” she said.
The Filipino-Australian beauty recalled walking about half an hour to go to school when she was a student in Bohol: “So I had experienced walking to school in about 30 or so minutes just to go to school and that was only one way.”
She further narrated, “I also experienced attending school, primary school in Australia. And just comparing the education on the rural parts of the Philippines to Australia, it was a huge difference.”
“The materials were lacking in comparison to Australia’s so that’s why I kinda wanted to make that as my advocacy and I would love to work on that after Miss Intercontinental, win or lose,” she emphasized.
The Miss Intercontinental crown has eluded the Philippines in the pageant’s 47-year history. Katarina Rodriguez came close to winning the title in 2017, but she settled for a first runner-up finish. /ee
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