Cebuana Nursing Student is Miss Philippines Water 2011

CEBU, Philippines - After battling a life-threatening condition when she was diagnosed with cystic teratoma, 19-year-old Muriel Adrienne Isidore Orais is set to wage a crusade greater than her own with her role as newest earth advocate in the country.

She was proclaimed Miss Philippines Water 2011 Sunday night in the annual Miss Philippines Earth beauty tilt held at Palawan’s Puerto Princesa City Coliseum. The Cebuana stunner is hoping to utilize her title to carve a difference in society as payback for her second lease at life.

A frontrunner at the onset, Muriel managed the equivalent of a second runner-up finish after garnering eight awards during various pre-finals activities and being a toast among media in the capital during press presentations. Her performance during Q & A could have foiled her chances at a higher ranking, as the Nursing major of Velez College beat around the bush and sounded quite nervous. She even seemed on the verge of tears while answering Ginger Conejero’s question during the casual interview segment.

“I just felt emotional the whole time because I was thinking of all my mother’s sacrifices while supporting me throughout my Miss Earth journey,” Muriel tells The FREEMAN in a phone interview. The title-holder is the only child of a single mother and has never met her Chinese father.

She was also the only one who answered “yes” among the top five when the final question was addressed: “Compared to fossil fuels like oil and coal, nuclear power is one of the cleanest and most cost-efficient sources of energy. Do you think the Philippines should use nuclear power plants as an alternative source of energy?”

With all the activities lined up for the winners, she is putting her studies on hold and is yet to decide whether to continue her schooling in Cebu or in Manila. When we spoke to her Monday afternoon, Muriel and the rest of the top five had just met President Noynoy Aquino as part of the campaign to push the Puerto Princesa Underground River to a spot in the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

Muriel is planning a return to Cebu this June 12 for a road revolution project that advocates bicycle-riding to lessen vehicle emissions that harm the environment.

TV news researcher Athena Mae Imperial from Casiguran, Aurora was crowned Miss Philippines-Earth 2011. She will represent the Philippines in the Miss Earth 2011 pageant happening this November 12 in Pattaya, Thailand. Completing her court are Miss Philippines-Air Jonavi Raisa Quiray from Puerto Princesa, Miss Philippines Fire Michelle Gavagan of Las Piñas City and Miss Philippines Eco-Tourism Tarhata Clio Shari Rico of Makati City.

The coronation night telecast over ABS-CBN was anchored by “Happy Yippee Yehey!” host and actor John Estrada; Miss Philippines Air 2009 Sandra Seifert; Miss Earth Water 2006 and Executive Director of Miss Earth Foundation Catherine Untalan; and “Umagang Kay Ganda” host and Miss Philippines Air 2006 Ginger Conejero.