Miss Teen 2019 candidate Karla Niere: Empowering women through education

Karla Niere | After Shoot Photo-Video Studio by Don Marc Dondon)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A week ago, six Cebuana beauty queens were named to represent Central Visayas for the upcoming Miss Teen Philippines in Manila on May 8, 2019.

The pre-qualifying round held at SM Seaside City Cebu last March 17 was a test for these girls how they carried themselves on stage.

Starting today,  the Top 6 candidates will be featured individually and will share their advocacies and stand on certain issues. 

Read more: Meet Central Visayas’s bets for Miss Teen Philippines 2019

Karla Niere

The spotlight starts at Karla Niere, a native of Barangay Nangka, Consolacion.

Niere’s advocacy is all about empowering women through education. 

The 18-year-old girl beauty queen sees that women have already freedom, but the main problem is all about how women are still sexualized and objectified. 

“However, if we implement proper education we can increase strong minded people with great values and characters so we can further prevent any form of sexism in the country,” she told Cebu Daily News Digital. 

She plans to bring her advocacy in the barangay or municipal level. 

“Mas lisod man if educational campaigns sa school kay kailangan mogather og students unya not all are available and present due to activities such as immersion. So I prefer barangay or municipal levels (if possible) so we can easily promote it since it does not only concern the youth but everyone,” she said. 

(Educational campaigns in schools are difficult to do because it will involve gathering students and then not all will be available and present due to other activities such as immersion. So I prefer the barangay or municipal levels (if possible) so we can easily promote it since it does not only concern the youth but everyone.)

Why Niere chose women empowerment? 

The 18-year-old beauty queen said that she personally experienced being restricted to some activities because she is a woman. 

“I was restricted from playing other sports because it was “meant for guys.” Not only myself but I have observed and witnessed in our society that sexism still exists to this date. I chose this as my advocacy because man or woman we should be able to do things freely without others holding us back because of our gender,” she said. 

Second pageant

Niere wants to become a beauty queen because she wants to show others that a person does not have to be perfect to become one. 

A beauty queen should have a strong mind to face all the challenges, criticisms, and have a strong heart. 

“You must be passionate about what you believe in and what your advocacy is. Lastly, a strong character for you to always stand by your principles and beliefs,” she said. 

Miss Teen Philippines is her second pageant after Miss Consolacion 2018 where she finished third runner-up. 

She is a senior high school student at Sotero B. Cabahug FORM of Literacy in the northern town of Consolacion. 

For her, Miss Teen Philippines is not just a crown and a title but a responsibility. 

She wants to be the voice of a million Filipinos and wants to speak on what needs to be done.

“There will be a lot of challenges to face, and one thing I know for sure is I am ready. I’m ready to partake in this responsibility, and I am ready to be Miss Teen Philippines 2019,” Niere said on why she should be the next grand winner. /dbs