Miss Earth bets swept to Phl by Thai floods

As Funfare reported a few issues back, the 2011 Miss Earth pageant has been moved back to the Philippines, its original home, because of the rising floods in Thailand, threatening Bangkok where it was supposed to be held. The 88 beauties from the same number of countries were swept to the Philippines where the grand coronation will be held on Dec. 3, 7 p.m. at the University of the Philippines Theater.

“The beauties had to rebook their flights from Bangkok to Manila due to the massive flood that began in July,” reported Celso de Guzman Caparas, Funfare’s “other beauty expert,” “leaving Carousel Productions, Inc. with no choice but to transfer the pageant’s 11th edition. One of the events would have commemorated the 84th birthday of Thailand’s King H. M. Bhumibol Adulyadej.”

Only 77 delegates made it to the press presentation hosted by 2009 Miss Earth Philippines/2009 Miss Earth-Air (first runner-up) Sandra Inez Seifert held last Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the Oakwood Premier Joy Nostalg Center (Ortigas Center, Pasig City), the official residence of the delegates.

Said Celso, “After introducing themselves, the beauties spoke on their environmental protection and preservation platform and their country’s achievements on the said advocacy. Then, they strutted in batches of 10 in different candy color two-piece bikini (pink, mint green, blue, yellow, fuchsia, green and orange) accentuated with a matching wrap-around.

“Miss Israel was visibly not in the mood in contrast with the rest of the delegates who gamely posed for posterity. All but Misses Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand Norway, Scotland and Slovenia refused to remove the wrap-around in front of the media photographers who were just three feet away.

“Diminutive but exotic and charming Miss Philippines received thunderous applause from the audience after delivering her intro, ‘Plastic materials are harmful and a nuisance to our environment. Let us push for a plastic-free Philippines. This is Athena Imperial from one of the 18 mega-diverse countries in the world — mga kababayan, mula sa Perlas ng Silangan, PILIPINAS!’ Malakas ang fighting spirit niya. Winner!”

Up close and personal and judging from the reception inside the ballroom, Celso picked as standouts the following: Miss Sweden (Miss Universe 2009 Top 15 and Beauty of the World 2010 fourth runner-up), Miss Slovenia, Miss India, Miss Paraguay (Miss World 2011 Top 20), Miss Ecuador (Reina Hispanoamericana 2011 second runner-up), Miss Czech Republic (Miss Globe International 2008 Top 12 and Miss Teen International 2009 second runner-up), Miss Mexico, Miss Venezuela (Reina Hispanoamericana 2010 winner), Miss France, Miss Northern Ireland, Miss Scotland, Miss Switzerland, Miss Martinique, half-Filipina Miss Guam, Kim Chiu look-alike Miss Korea and host delegate Miss Philippines.

Miss Venezuela received “The Face of New Placenta” award from Jaime Acosta, president and CEO of Psalmstre Enterprises, Inc., for possessing an exceptional beauty and wit combined with her passion to care for the environment.

Expected to arrive anytime now are delegates from Albania, Chile, Ghana, Indonesia, Lesotho, Macedonia, Nigeria, Russia, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zambia.

Since the pageant’s inception in 2000, some 797 beauties have participated and 11 countries have perfect attendance: Australia, Canada, Dominican Republic, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and USA.

More trivia from Celso:

• Countries making their debut in this pageant are Aruba, Austria, Lesotho and Sri Lanka. Thirteen beauties have competed in other international beauty pageants. Miss Tanzania was Shamcey Supsup’s and Dianne Necio’s co-delegate in Miss Universe 2011 and Miss International 2011, respectively; she’s the winner of Miss Southern Africa International 2011. Miss Macau joined the Miss World 2010. This year’s batch has 23 students, eight models, two TV hosts, two photographers, a journalist, a seamstress, a registered nurse, a teacher, a banker and a fitness/wellness advisor. At 6’5”, Miss Brazil is the tallest delegate while Miss Ghana at 5’1.5” is the shortest. Misses Bahamas, Latvia, Romania and South Africa are 26 years old making them the oldest among the delegates while the youngest Misses Chinese Taipei, Guadeloupe, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong and Madagascar are 18.

• Confirmed delegates but cancelled their participation at the last minute were Miss Costa Rica Mariela Aparicio Alfaro who lost her travel documents during an assault, Miss Uruguay Diana Banchero who’s mourning a death in her family and, for various personal reasons, Misses Jamaica Kerry Ann Moxam and Moldova Ramona Balam. Miss Paraguay Alexandra Helena Fretes Galeano sprained her ankle and was replaced by Nicole Elizabeth Huber Vera.

• The Miss Photogenic winner will be determined by the accumulated Facebook “likes” of the delegate’s photo plus the Miss Earth website votes. Voting period stared on Nov. 22 and ends on Nov. 30, 12 midnight EST.

• Scheduled to arrive on Sunday, Nov. 27, is reigning Miss Earth Nicole Faria of India. Faria’s first runner-up, Miss Earth Air Jennifer Stephanie Pazmiño Saldaña of Ecuador, lost her crown last month after getting married and was replaced by Miss Russia Victoria Shchukina.

The finals will be televised live on Star World, the entertainment channel of Fox International Asia, and aired as TV special on ABS-CBN on Dec. 4 and on The Filipino Channel, ABS-CBN’s cable television network in Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe and North America.

Miss Earth 2011 beauty pageant is being supported by the Department of Tourism, Philippine Airlines, Oakwood Premier Joy Nostalg Center Manila, the Miss Earth Foundation, Karilagan International Travel & Tours Corporation, Ricky Reyes and COCOLIFE.

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