Woman of the World 2017

JENNIFER Helen Weigel could not believe that she bested 87 other beauties when she was hailed Woman of the World 2017 during the Globe Classic 2017 last June 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the first time a Filipina beauty queen won the crown.

The 51-year-old daughter of former Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ernest Weigel said that she was hesitant to join the pageant at first because of her age. Globe Classic is an international beauty tilt for women, aged 40 to 55 years old.

“Ms. Carla Quiambao told me to join and I said ‘No, I’m so ashamed. I’m not young anymore’,” said Weigel during her courtesy call at the Cebu City Mayor’s Office.

Weigel said she only confirmed her participation this year, which resulted in a very short preparation period.

“I do boxing every day, like two hours a day. I lost about 20 pounds,” she revealed when asked about her preparations. So, what made her win?

“I don’t know. Prayers. I don’t know because they’re all tall and look like Barbie dolls,” Weigel said of her fellow candidates.

Aside from prayers, Weigel said that it is perhaps her performance during the crucial question and answer portion that made her win.

“Every day they would ask us questions, like an ambush (interview). And I was the favorite of the press,” she said.

One of her remarkable answers was when she was asked how she would invite people to visit the Philippines.

“I said my country is a very nice place. We are rich in natural resources and we have beautiful beaches, but the most beautiful part of our country is our people,” she said.

“There’s a competition in every country. Because I was Miss Asia International in 2015, they automatically chose me to represent the country,” explained Weigel. During the pageant, Weigel also won Best in National Costume. She wore the creation of Cebuano designer, Philipp Tampus./ USJ-R Journalism Intern Rosalie O. Abatayo