THE PHILIPPINES’ representatives to the Miss Earth 2018 and Reina Hispanoamericana 2018 pageants failed to bring home the crown for the country.
Celeste Cortesi finished in the top 8 during the Miss Earth 2018 pageant held November 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Phuong Khanh Nguyen of
Vietnam won the title, succeeding Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco of the Philippines.
On the other hand, Alyssa Muhlach of the Philippines bowed out early in the Reina Hispanoamericana 2018 pageant, failing to make it to the first cut—the top 10.
Winning the crown was Nariman Battikha of Venezuela during the coronation night held on November 3 (Bolivia time) at Sta. Cruz, Bolivia. She succeeded Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 and actress Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez of the Philippines.
Miss Earth 2018 Nguyen, the first Miss Earth winner from Vietnam, bested more than 80 other candidates.
During the question and answer round, the Top 4 candidates were given the same question and 30 seconds to answer.
The question was, “Being a millennial, what do you think is the most pressing issue of your generation?”
Nguyen answered, “Good evening, everyone. My answer is, the pressing issue of my generation is our ignorance. We have so many technology and we just use social media and we just care for ourselves. We should spend our time to think and feel what is happening with Earth right now. One small
action multiplied by million people can transform the world.”
Before she joined Miss Earth 2018, Nguyen finished second runner-up in Miss Sea Vietnam Global 2018.
Nguyen’s elemental court includes Melanie Mader of Austria (Miss Earth Air), Valeria Ayos of Colombia (Miss Earth Water), and Melissa Flores of Mexico (Miss Earth Fire).
Reina Hispanoamericana 2018 Muhlach, daughter of former basketball player Paul Alvarez and former actress Almira Muhlach, was not able to give the Philippines its back-to-back crown for the Reina Hispanoamericana pageant.
Marquez turned over her crown to Nariman Battikha of Venezuela whose court includes Isabele Pandini of Brazil (Virreina Hispanoamericana 2018), Aranza Molina of Mexico (first runner-up), Ma. Belen Alderete of Paraguay (second runner-up), Joyce Prado of Bolivia (third runner-up), and Camila Helfmann of Chile (fourth runner-up).
A celebration of Hispanic heritage, language and culture, the Reina Hispanoamericana pageant started in 1991.
Coming pageants
After Muhlach, Miss World Philippines 2018 Katarina Rodriguez will soon fly for Sanya, China for the Miss World 2018 pageant slated on December 8.
The Davao beauty is the successor of Miss World Philippines 2017 Laura Lehmann who finished in the top 40 last year.
Meanwhile, Miss Multinational Philippines 2018 Kimi Mugford will be competing on December 13 for Miss Multinational 2018.
Mugford is the national successor of Miss Multinational 2017 Sophia Senoron, the first Filipina to win the Miss Multinational title.
The last to compete among the Miss World Philipines 2018 winners is Miss Eco International Philippines 2018 Maureen Montagne for the Miss Eco International 2019 to be held in Egypt.
So far, only Sultan Kudarat native Sharifa Areef Mohammed Omar Akeel has won an international crown for the Philippines since pageant season began since October.
Akeel was named Miss Asia Pacific International 2018 held in Manila last October 4. She represented the country after she won the Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific International 2018 last September.
Last month, Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2018 Michelle Gumabao went to Albania to compete at the Miss Globe 2018 pageant. The Lady Spiker of De La Salle University finished in the top 15 and the first from Binibining Pilipinas 2018 queens who competed for the international stage.
After Gumabao was Cebuana beauty queen Eva Patalinjug who wore the country’s sash for Miss Grand International 2018.
A native of Lapu-Lapu City, Patalinjug failed to make it to the top 20 during the coronation night held in Myanmar last October 25.
Currently competing is Binibining Pilipinas International 2018 Ahtisa Manalo for Miss International 2018. The coronation night is slated on November 9 in Tokyo, Japan.
Next to Manalo is Binibining Pilipinas Supranational 2018 Jehza Huelar for Miss Supranational 2018 on December 7 in Poland and Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2018 Catriona Gray on December 17 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The last to compete is Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman for the Miss Intercontinental pageant which will be held in January 2019 in the Philippines.