Miss Philippines Earth candidates (from left) Yllana Marie Aduana, Lasil Relevo, Cea De Jesus, Naoimi Henave, and Kerri Reilly/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — The Miss Philippines Earth pageant has been promoting environmental awareness for more than two decades now, pursued the green movement even before it a become a byword and blazing the trail for many other competitions espousing similar causes. Its candidates, dubbed “beauties for a cause,” are also pushing for more sustainable ways of achieving beauty.
“When you are promoting the causes of a pageant just like the Miss Philippines Earth, which is climate change amelioration and education, you have to be able to present yourself the best way possible,” Yllana Marie Aduana from Siniloan, Laguna, told the Inquirer when the candidates graced the grand launch of a skin care clinic branch in Quezon City on March 19.
“As a candidate, you are promoting a green cause. So you have to pair up yourself with a brand that is not only taking, but also giving back to the planet and to the people,” continued the pageant veteran and returning Miss Philippines Earth delegate. She was a runner-up in the virtual competition held in 2021, and was later crowned Miss FIT Philippines in the same year. She was also proclaimed “Face of Binibini” at the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant where she finished in the Top 12.
Architect Cea de Jesus from Taguig City carries the principles she learned in school. “We were taught that the beauty of the environment must always be reflected in the beauty of the built environment, and that also stems to the beauty of ourselves. So we must also be inspired by the beauty of the environment,” she shared.
“There are so many services, so many products right now that are eco-friendly. So the only way forward is up to technology, through different aesthetic systems, eco beauty without causing more environmental degradation,” she continued.
For her part, Kerri Reilly from Mangatarem, Pangasinan, related the pursuit of beauty as a form of self-love and added, “if you can’t love yourself first, how are you gonna show your love towards the environment? The environment’s been there for you since the very beginning, and they’re to heal you as well.”
Lasil Relevo from Balayan, Batangas, offered a more introspective approach. “I think that beauty comes from the inside, so I think that we should all take care of our mental health before physically. And I think that we can make beauty as eco-friendly as possible if we partner up with a brand,” she explained.
For Naoimi Henave from Dasmariñas City, beauty queens should be more conscious. “A lot of us use a lot of beauty products, for example removing makeup, there’s a lot of waste that comes from that. Being responsible in how we take those resources and how we dispose and recycle and how we practice green actions is important because we represent something,” she said.
“We are a role models to a lot of people. By being responsible, by sticking to our words, I think that is important that we represent the true value, the true advocacy of the Miss Philippines Earth pageant,” continued the 19-year-old student.
The five ladies are among the 31 aspirants in the 2023 Miss Philippines Earth pageant. The winner will represent the country in the 2023 Miss Earth pageant which will be held in Vietnam later this year. EDV