Cynthia Thomalla wins Miss Eco International 2018

CEBU, Philippines — Cynthia Thomalla has struck gold in Egypt in the name of the Philippines. As the last to compete among the four Miss World Philippines (MWP) 2017 winners, Cynthia has won for the country its first Miss Eco International crown.

Hailed Miss Eco International 2018 at the Cairo Opera House on Friday, April 27 in Egypt (late morning, April 28, Manila time), the 23-year-old Tourism and Events Management graduate from STI Maasin in Leyte made history as the first Filipina to clinch the crown, succeeding Amber Bernachi of Canada, who won last year.

Making up Cynthia’s court are Astira Vernadeina of Indonesia as first runner-up, Kelin Rivera of Peru as second runner-up, Ngyuen Thi Dung of Vietnam as third runner-up, and Glennys Medina of Costa Rica as fourth runner-up.

The beauty pageant was previously known as Miss Eco Queen in 2015, Miss Eco Universe in 2016, and eventually rebranded as Miss Eco International last year. Egypt has hosted the pageant for three consecutive years.

Miss Eco International advocates for tourism and the environment. The winner becomes a champion for eco-tourism worldwide, tasked to instill values about the protection and the safety of the planet as well as its resources through an exchange of international culture.

It is right up Cynthia’s alley, who talked about her responsible tourism advocacy and her take on Boracay Island’s temporary closure before flying off to compete overseas. And she had that in mind as she gave her Miss Eco International 2018 answer to the question: What do you think is the most important thing that beauty pageants add to people and the world?

“I think the most relevant thing that we beauty queens can add to the world is raising awareness on our own causes,” Cynthia replies. “For example, the Miss Eco International is raising the advocacy of sustainable tourism and protecting the environment. And that is the main point of doing beauty pageants, by raising our voices to help the earth.”

After preparing mentally to be by her lonesome for three weeks in a place she’s never been to, the Fil-German beauty quips that she had not expected to win the pageant. But many had predicted the victory, seeing her stellar performances in pre-pageant events where Cynthia often stood out: advancing in the shortlist after doing well in the swimsuit, eco wear, and talent competitions.

In an interview with pageant website Missosology, Cynthia said she and first runner-up Miss Indonesia were a bundle of nerves as they awaited the final announcement, both of them not knowing a word that was being said as the pageant went on in Arabic.

“We have 53 ladies, and all of them are equally beautiful, talented, and unique in their own different ways. I’ve spent three weeks with them and they are all totally amazing. Everybody did their best, and everybody’s smart and beautiful. It’s so hard to tell [who wins], everything can happen in one night. So thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity but I didn’t really expect to win,” admits Cynthia.

Cynthia adds that her game plan really was “Being myself and totally enjoying myself. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I just really wanted to enjoy, learn and experience the culture of Egypt.”

During her eco video in the beginning of the pageant early April, Cynthia returned to Southern Leyte and showed the wonders that her province has to offer. The Anne Hathaway lookalike posed and showed the stunning views of Manila, Ormoc City, Palawan and Davao Oriental. As an official ambassadress for the environment in the international level, the world just got bigger for the avid traveler.

“This means my life now for me—in my one year reign,” she says. “I hope to do well and make the organization really proud.”

Asked about what was going on in her head upon her announcement as winner, the former Sinulog Festival Queen and Reyna ng Aliwan 2016 title-holder sheepishly said she wanted food and sleep. “But I’m really really happy and I hope I made my country proud,” she adds.

The Cebu-based model was hounded by controversy right before competing for Miss Eco International. She was dragged into the issue involving her beauty queen friends/mentors Binibining Pilipinas World 2007 Maggie Wilson and Miss International 2013 Bea Santiago, both of whom commented online that recently crowned Miss Universe Philippines Catriona Gray didn’t deserve the Best Swimsuit award, which naturally didn’t sit well with Gray’s fans.  Cynthia, who won the first Miss Eco International Philippines title when it was introduced last year at MWP, said it was unfair for people to involve her in a narrative she had nothing to do with and had been worried about what the international organizers might think.

And yet, all is well for our first Miss Eco International as she adds to the array of crowns in the name of the Philippines. It’s three out of four for the MWP organization, as Cynthia’s fellow queens Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2017 Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez and Miss Multinational Philippines 2017 Sophia Senoron also came through with back-to-back wins. They both went on to clinch the Reina Hispanoamericana and Miss Multinational titles.

“Sa lahat ng mga Pilipino, maraming maraming salamat talaga from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much to my family and my friends. Daghan kaayong salamat sa mga taga Cebu, Leyte, sa designers, mentors, Kagandahang Flores (KF) Cebu and KF Manila. This is all for you,” Cynthia says.