Miss Philippines Earth Yllana Marie Aduana gets to wear her ‘Miss Earth-Air’ crown once again. ARMIN P. ADINA
There is a special reason Filipinos put beauty queens on a pedestal, and reigning Miss Philippines Earth Yllana Marie Aduana shared why titleholders and even aspirants are put in such a position.
“As Earth queens, too, we need people who can really look up to us, and who will be inspired with the way we speak, with the way we act, with the way we talk. This is how Earth queens are seen,” she said at the 2023 Miss Earth winners’ media conference held at Brittany Hotel in Bacoor, Cavite, on Tuesday, May 7.
Her international sisters—reigning Miss Earth Drita Ziri from Albania, Miss Earth-Water Do Thi Lan Ahn from Vietnam, and Miss Earth-Fire Cora Bliault from Thailand—flew to the country for the 2024 Miss Philippines Earth coronation night, an epic visit made possible by entrepreneur Jam Aquino and her team, together with pageant organizer Carousel Productions.
Aduana, who was crowned Miss Earth-Air in the international competition in Vietnam in December, continued with her reminder to the national pageant delegates: “We are the kindest queens out there, because we get to put ourselves out there. We do the grassroots activities, we do everything from scratch.”
The Miss Philippines Earth and Miss Earth pageants were established in 2001 to serve as platforms for environmental awareness, and the winners and candidates are expected to work on projects that help save the planet.
READ: Embattled environmental journalists find allies in Miss Earth 2023 queens
The 2023 Miss Earth queens (from left) Do Thi Lan Ahn, Drita Ziri, Yllana Marie Aduana and Cora Bliault are together in the Philippines. ARMIN P. ADINA
The medical laboratory scientist implored to the aspirants, “We gotta be a public role model that would inspire people, not only towards the advocacies, not only towards our works, but also towards being a good person to people and to the planet.”
For Aduana, beauty queens should spread love and positivity, and said “life is too short. Life is truly ephemeral. But if we live it with so much kindness, and that we get to share it with other people, then it can really go a long way.”
The reigning national queen will be joined by her international sisters for the 2024 Miss Philippines Earth pageant’s coronation night in the town of Talakag in Bukidnon on May 11, where she will crown her successor.
The ceremonies will be streamed real time on the national pageant’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, and will have a telecast on A2Z on May 12. The winner will represent the Philippines in the 24th Miss Earth pageant to be held in Vietnam later this year, and try to become the fifth Filipino woman to win the title.
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