Karen Ibasco tells Yllana Aduana to raise PH flag in Miss Earth 2023

Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco/ARMIN P. ADINA

HO CHI MINH, Vietnam — Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco told Yllana Marie Aduana to raise the Philippine flag high as she competes in the 23rd edition of the Miss Earth pageant here in Vietnam.

On the sidelines of the recent Crystal Ball 2023 at the Grand Hyatt BGC in Taguig City, Ibasco also issued a message to the rest of the 85 ladies competing for the Miss Earth crown — to savor this once in a lifetime experience.

“I just want to tell her (Aduana) to really enjoy the whole competition, and give all her best as she raises the flag of the Philippines,” Ibasco told INQUIRER.net in an interview.

“Enjoy the whole competition. It’s not going to happen again. But at the same time, I want you to do your best, to have the mindset that you can win. That’s why they’re there. So I just want to tell them to enjoy everything. And I’m looking forward to the woman who is gonna win!” she further said.

Ibasco said she hopes the crown will go to a woman who is “very passionate, committed, who is going to continue the advocacy of Miss Earth.”

She also said the Philippine-based international competition is different from other beauty pageants. “It’s not all glam. A lot of people don’t know what happens behind the scenes, behind the camera, which is really hard work. And you really have to put so much work into it. So I’m looking for someone who’s so much committed and passionate for the environment,” she said.

Ibasco and Aduana have a lot in common. Aside from being pageant veterans, both of them are also scientists.

They also trained under the “Kagandahang Flores” pageant camp of beaty queen-maker Rodgil Flores, who is responsible for honing several Miss Earth winners from the Philippines and other countries as well.

For this edition, the Miss Earth pageant is mounting the competition outside the Philippines for only the third time. The other country outside the Philippines that welcomed the international contest was Austria, which hosted the 2015 Miss Earth pageant won by Filipino queen Angelia Ong.

Ibasco said she is excited that Vietnam is hosting the global tilt anew, since last staging it in 2010.

“I’m looking forward to the whole Miss Earth this 2023, because I know that Vietnam always gives one of the best productions in the whole world, so I can’t wait for that. And I just want to invite everybody to watch Miss Earth 2023 this Dec. 22,” Ibasco said.

Reigning queen Mina Sue Choi from Korea will crown her successor who will be proclaimed at the culmination of the competition at the Van Phuc City development project in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec. 22. The ceremonies will be streamed live on the Facebook pages and YouTube channels of the Miss Earth pageant, TNA Entertainment, and the Miss Earth Vietnam organization.

The Philippines is the best-performing country in the Miss Earth pageant with four wins posted. Aside from Ibasco and Ong, the two other Filipino winners were Karla Henry in 2008 and Jamie Herrell in 2014.