‘Earth warriors’ try luck in Bb. Pilipinas pageant
Bb. Pilipinas candidates (from left) Sofia Lopez Galve, Kiaragiel Gregorio, and Gianna Llanes have crossed over from the Miss Philippines Earth pageant. Image: INQUIRER.net/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines—The roster of aspirants for this year’s Binibining Pilipinas pageant includes familiar faces, and among the “titled” beauties taking their chance in the longest-running pageant in the Philippines are former Miss Philippines Earth “elemental queens” Kiaragiel Gregorio, Gianna Llanes and Sophia Lopez Galve.
Galve is the most recent winner among the three, having been proclaimed as Miss Philippines Ecotourism in a virtual pageant in 2021. Llanes joined the year before, and received the Miss Philippines Water crown, also in an online contest.
Gregorio, meanwhile, waited seven years before setting foot on another pageant stage. It was in 2016 when she captured the Miss Philippines Air title, with the top crown going to Bb. Pilipinas alumna Imelda Schweighart.
“The reason why I’m back [is] because I want to share my new story, the new Kiaragiel Gregorio. I’ve had time to reflect on the transformative differences that the previous queens that have come before us have done through the help of the Bb. Pilipinas organization. And I hope to achieve the same thing,” Gregorio told the Inquirer during the candidates’ visit at the Art in Island multimedia museum in Quezon City on Feb. 28.
“Right now I’m advocating for migrant workers’ rights. Because while I was in the [United Kingdom], I was studying law, during my first legal role, I’ve had the chance to work with organizations in the UK which aims specifically to help victims of modern slavery from the Philippines. That’s something that I wish Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. could help me with, should I be fortunate enough to win a crown,” continued Gregorio, who is representing Cabanatuan City.
Llanes, who is representing Palayan City, said she would want to promote body positivity among young women, which was the topic of her thesis at the Ateneo de Manila University. “It’s something that I have been fighting for for a very long time,” she said.
“I’ve really been working with the local government unit of Palayan City to provide seminars, workshops for young women there when it comes to public speaking, expressing their thoughts, or even getting into occupations that are male-dominated…I know that Bb. Pilipinas has broken so many barriers throughout the years, and has accepted any type of woman. And I want to be a representation of a different type of woman,” she continued.
Galve, who is representing the province of Rizal, said, “In my years of studying about the environment, I noticed that it’s not an isolated issue. The environment is something that is very much in touch with our socio-political issues. And with this I wanted a more holistic approach, and I believe that Bb. Pilipinas is a bigger platform that I can use to voice my socio-political and environmental advocacies. And I believe I am in the right place at Bb Pilipinas.”
The three are competing in a field of 40 aspirants in this year’s Bb. Pilipinas pageant. The coronation show will be staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at the Araneta City in Quezon City, tentatively set for May. The organization has not disclosed yet how many crowns will be awarded in this year’s competition. /ra
