Mariel Baltazar/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — A student of international tourism at the Lyceum of the Philippines in Manila will represent the Philippines in the inaugural edition of the Miss Business Global pageant in Vietnam next month.
Nineteen-year-old Princess Mariel Baltazar received her crown as Miss Business Global Philippines in an intimate ceremony held at Pandan Asian Café in Quezon City on Nov. 28 from Ovette Ricalde, one of the global tilt’s national directors in the country.
Ricalde clarified that a country may send three representatives to the international competition. The other national director, Shandy Montecarlo, already chose one of the Philippines’ delegates, while he has two, Baltazar being one of them.
“I think Miss Business Global is related to women empowerment, especially in the business industry. I think it’s a huge factor where we can empower them, because women are being discriminated and downgraded. And I will use this platform to help the people around me,” Baltazar said.
When the Inquirer asked what she thinks has been the most essential business during the pandemic, she cited the medical field, “because we get to protect, and help other people who are in need, especially the young ones and the infants, whose health we need to protect. We need a lot of support for the medical industry. That is why I am very thankful and grateful for our nurses and doctors.”
The Quezon City-based student has been modeling for years now, and spearheads the “Para Kay Nanay” advocacy project, that aims to provide financial and emotional support for single mothers, like her own.
She is scheduled to leave on Dec. 13, and will be joined by her mother, her manager, her makeup artist, and her stylist in the neighboring country.
Ricalde will follow the contingent on Dec. 19 to catch the coronation program in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec. 20. EDV