Miss Philippines Earth 2019 San Remigio bet advocates for no-plastic policy in micro enterprises

CEBU, Philippines — Mariafe Sinadjan Loayon is leaving nothing to chance as she makes her childhood dream come true. Rising to the occasion as an official Miss Philippines Earth candidate, Mariafe is focused and optimistic in achieving her goal.

The 19-year-old San Remigio native said in an interview with The FREEMAN that it has always been her wish to join national pageants, Miss Philippines Earth (MPE) included.

Growing up, Mariafe – Yapi to family and friends – has used the goal as a motivation to better herself. Although the time did come for her to prove herself on a national stage via last year’s Mutya ng Pilipinas where she finished among the Top 12 finalists out of 50 candidates, the Miss San Remigio Tourism 2018 title-holder is looking forward to her MPE journey because it gives aspiring beauty queens an opportunity to not only live out their dreams but to also help in the environment’s welfare.

She thinks MPE 2019 will be a wonderful experience especially that she will be in the company of people who share the same amount of love and respect for nature as she does.

“I am overwhelmed and grateful to have been given the opportunity of joining national pageants which is why I’m doing my utmost to discover and polish my capabilities,” she said.

The freshman Hotel Management student at ACLC has been meticulous in her training.

“Vying for a national title is never an easy task. It requires one to be 100 percent ready and by 100 percent, I mean every inch of you. That is why I always make sure that I am physically fit to perform the tasks given to us. To be emotionally steady is also important because no matter how much I miss my family back home, I need to strengthen myself because I am also doing this for them. I also want to prepare myself mentally so that I can express my opinions and ideas well. Most importantly, spiritually, because I’m also dedicating this journey to God who has given me these wonderful talents which I am going to showcase to my country.”

While her Mutya ng Pilipinas exposure was vital in her learning curve, she believes it is the sum of all of her experiences and her individuality that make up her strongest suit.

“I always live up to the idea that beauty queens are so much more than the crown but they are individuals who inspire others by being true to theirselves. And if staying authentic inspires others, then I would say that is my edge. My strongest suit would be my combined experiences in life, whether it be good or bad. Because honestly, they molded me into a bolder and stronger version of myself,” the dusky beauty said.

Among the many lessons in life, she cited two that defined her way to the MPE crown: to never give up, and to never forget God. She described these reminders as techniques required to survive just about any challenge she goes through.

As an environment advocate, Mariafe considers the lack of discipline among mankind as the most pressing issue. She explained how important cooperation is, and that our destructive behavior keeps us from progress. She calls on others to do their share of protecting the environment, no matter how small, so long as these efforts are constant.

Advocating for the regulation of plastic use, Mariafe, who does her best to manage her waste trail, suggested that businesses should do their share in curbing plastic use.

“I am a huge advocate for no-plastic policy in micro enterprises. I chose this advocacy based on what I have observed. Big establishments may have already incorporated the use of paper bags and eco bags for the purchase of goods but looking at micro enterprises, this practice is still not strictly implemented. In every barangay, there are still a lot of sari-sari stores and public markets that have a huge number of sellers using plastic every single day,” she shared.

“If you put all of these stores that use plastic together, huge amounts of plastic garbage can be collected at the end of the day. Think of this: if we can do the practices of our elders in which they bring reusable baskets or bags to store goods that they purchased then we can lessen the use of plastic and help our Mother Nature detoxify.”

This year, MPE is highlighting the beauty and importance of flora, making the staging a tribute to the beauty, healing, and protection provided by this wonderful gift of nature.

Describing herself as a survivor who proudly remained upright despite hardship, Mariafe handpicked the purple vanda orchid to represent because it “symbolizes admiration, respect, dignity, and royalty.”

“I can see myself as a purple vanda orchid not because of royalty nor admiration but mostly because of respect and dignity. I am a woman who stands by what she thinks is morally upright and I have so much respect to each person, no matter what your disposition in life is or what your past is,” she explained.

“That is why I chose this flower because I want to bloom just like it, and symbolize dignity and respect. I will incorporate it into my MPE journey by keeping in mind its symbolism and giving value to this. I want my choices to be as personal and as close to me as possible because I know these will reflect who I am in this journey.”

Mariafe dedicates her bid for an MPE crown to her family, everyone who believes in her, her hometown of San Remigio, and all of Cebu province as she hopes to join the leagues of Cebuanas Karla Henry (Miss Earth 2008) and Jaime Herrell (Miss Earth 2014).

“That is the beauty of national pageants – no matter how intimidated you get, it will always be covered with the excitement and honor that you feel especially when you can feel the love of those who support you making you feel that you are not alone in this journey. It is both an honor and a responsibility to bring pride to my fellow Cebuanos who have been very supportive. I am doing this for my fellow Cebuanos as I step on the national stage for I am proud to wear a sash of my hometown, San Remigio – a reminder of my roots and that they are with me, my fellow Cebuanos, in this fight.”

Mariafe added that she is most excited about the memories she will make with her co-candidates, as well as the activities lined up for them.

“I’m going to have a positive and focused mindset all throughout. I will never waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by enjoying every moment of it, focusing on the assigned activities, and be so positive that I will never feel tiredness which I know I won’t because everything is surreal and my energy is on 100 percent. A Miss Philippines Earth title means the world to me. It has been my dream ever since I was a kid. And now here I am, living and fulfilling that dream. It is still surreal that I am finally a step closer."

While she believes that all the candidates have their own strengths and personalities, she trusts in her uniqueness to give her the boost and shine in the competition which will culminate in July with over 40 expected candidates, including another Cebuana, Princess Joesel Bajamonde, representing Talisay City.