Four Cebu bets for Miss Philippines Earth 2013

CEBU, Philippines - Sixteen aspirants from Cebu and its neighboring provinces recently trooped to SM City Cebu’s Event Centre for the Visayas leg of the Miss Philippines Earth 2013 screenings.

Among them were three Miss Cebu runners-up, but only one made the official cut. She is Miss Cebu 2011 first runner-up Teffanie Lene Llamada, 23, who will be representing Cebu City. While talent wasn’t a requirement in the screening, some candidates prepared a presentation to vie for the Best in Talent award, which Llamada won with her rendition of an Adele song.

Other Cebuana bets are half-German Mira Mae Dimmerling who is Ms. Eco-Tourism Philippines/Mossimo Bikini Summit 2011 first runner-up, representing Bogo City; Jessa Marie Cariaga representing Consolacion; and Lucena Rose Magdadaro, representing Sogod.

The ladies were made to state their chosen environmental platforms and strut on stage while clutching SM Greenbags, considered as the first reusable shopping bag in the Philippines. During an interview segment to test their wit and know-how, they were grilled on environment-related questions, including last year’s tsunami scare in Cebu.

The event was hosted by Miss Earth 2008 Karla Paula Henry, while screening judges were Miss Philippines Earth 2006/Miss Earth Foundation executive director Catherine Untalan, operation manager of Savemore Vismin Allan Flores, and Cebuano pageant blogger Domz Ocale.

“At the end of the day, you look for someone that you can work with. I try to see through the person. I want someone with a heart. You would see if she is really passionate with her cause. The looks, of course, is very important. You need someone who can also shine in the international competition,” Untalan said on the winning traits she personally goes for.

Untalan said they have always targeted 40-50 official candidates. So far, there are 38 candidates listed in the pageant’s official website. One familiar and come-backing bet is Angelee Claudette de Los Reyes, a Binibining Pilipinas 2012 semifinalist. The Olongapo City bet had already represented the country twice in the international stage: First in China as Miss Bikini Philippines 2011, and again in Bangkok as International Model Philippines 2012.

Untalan implied that newbies shouldn’t be intimidated by veterans like de los Reyes, because with proper training, even fresh faces have the potential to shine.

“If you see an aspirant who doesn’t have polished catwalk skills, you train her to walk. You don’t put her down. Instead you should see the potential in everyone, because not all of them have had pageant experience. I, for one, had zero pageant background when I joined. You learn along the way, and I believe that is true for everyone,” she said.

The pageant’s 13th edition will center on two themes. One is the declaration of the United Nations General Assembly as 2013 being the "International Year of Water Cooperation,” and the call for Clean Elections. 

Miss Philippines Earth prides itself in being not just a search of beauty and brains, but also as an organization that relentlessly promotes the preservation of the planet. Aside from participating in local green movements, the winner goes on to represent the Philippines in the international Miss Earth pageant whose winner becomes the ambassadress of earth’s natural resources and the spokesperson of the Miss Earth Foundation, United Nations Environment Program and other environmental organizations like Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund.

Last year’s winner, Stephany Stefanowitz of Quezon City, went on to win Miss Earth-Air during the international finals held in Manila November of last year.

The Miss Philippines Earth 2013 coronation night is scheduled on May 19, to be aired on ABS-CBN before the noontime show “ASAP.” Photos by ALDO BANAYNAL