Tee
Who would have thought that doing “hephep-hooray” and handing out jackets on TV would help one become a beauty queen?
Janelle Tee did, and now she is proudly wearing the 2019 Miss Philippines Earth crown on her head.
Janelle, a former host in GMA 7’s daily afternoon game show “Wowowin,” credits her stint in Willie Revillame’s program for her latest pageant triumph, her third attempt at a national title.
The 28-year-old Chinese-Filipino Pasigueña bested 39 other aspirants at the coronation night on July 10 at the Cove Manila, the superclub of Okada Manila in Parañaque City.
In 2014, she first gave the Miss Philippines Earth pageant a shot, representing her native Davao City.
The crown went to Cebuana Jamie Herrell, who eventually became the Philippines’ second Miss Earth winner.
A year later, she joined the Miss World Philippines pageant, and finished in the semifinals.
“After that, I joined ‘Wowowin.’ I was a host there, ‘bigyan ng jacket,’ ‘hephep-hooray,’ I was there for two years,’ Janelle told Inquirer Entertainment after her coronation.
Her game show stint, she said, helped her win the Miss Philippines Earth pageant because it taught her “discipline, hard work and patience.”
She added: “Because with ‘Wowowin,’ you get to meet a lot of people, different personalities—rich and poor—everyone. It makes you versatile.”
The beauty queen also thanked Willie, who made her “very disciplined.”
The host, Janelle said, also taught her how to properly deal with people.
“Don’t choose who you interact with, approach everybody. Be the first one to greet fans and supporters,” she quoted Willie as saying.
“I have to value them because they are the ones who made me who I am today,” continued Janelle, who succeeded last year’s winner Celeste Cortesi, who finished in the Top 8 in the 2018 global tilt.
Janelle Tee —PHOTOS BY LYN RILLON
Celeste, who is Kapamilya actor Joseph Marco’s girlfriend, was not able to personally relinquish her crown.
Pageant organizer Carousel Productions said Celeste was indisposed because of medical reasons.
She was also not seen in any of the pageant’s preliminary activities that ran for over two months.
Janelle said she will immediately buckle down to work, as an ambassador for saving the environment. She also invited Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto for “joint efforts” in pushing for the pageant’s advocacy.
“Mayor Vico, I will again pay a courtesy call on you. This time, we’ll work not only for Pasig, but also for the entire country,” she said.
Janelle will compete in the 19th edition of the international Miss Earth pageant in October.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer is a media partner of the 2019 Miss Philippines Earth pageant.