Arielle Diane Garciano, Miss New Zealand 2014 (www.timesofbeauty.com)
A 22-year-old Filipina who has deep roots in Camotes Island in northern Cebu was chosen to represent New Zealand in the next Miss World pageant.
Arielle Diane Garciano, who was born in New Zealand, won the pageant held at Rendezvous Grand Hotel in Auckland on April 26.
Her father, Melvin, is a Filipino who hails from Poro town in Cebu while her mother, Diane, is English. Garciano is the youngest of four siblings.
Garciano will be joining the Miss World pageant where Filipina actress and model Megan Young will be relinquishing her crown to the pageant’s next winner.
Garciano works as a branch sales coordinator at Plumbing World Christchurch and has lived in Christchurch and Auckland.
“I am a New Zealander with parents of different ethnicities, my mother being English and my Father, Filipino. This has enabled me to widen my life’s perspective,” she wrote in her official pageant profile.
“My tatay moved to New Zealand 32 years ago in November, when he and my mother fell in love and got married in the beautiful port of Lyttelton, Christchurch,” she said in a pre-pageant article.
She added she joined Miss World New Zealand 2014 after being inspired by previous Miss World candidates whom she met at a Ronald McDonald House Fashion Show.
“Through this, I have already learnt more about myself, and my capabilities. I feel privileged to be a part of this year’s event. I am going to use it as a platform to find new passions, gain new skills and opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have access to,” she said.
Pageant organizer Desmond Foulger said Garciano impressed the judges with her stunning looks and outstanding efforts to raise money for a little girl from the Philippines who needed lifesaving facial surgery.
“She’s a very popular winner,” said Foulger.
Norman’s Blog, a web log that focuses on beauty pageants and beauty queens, said Garciano may have been Kiwi-born, but she continues to maintain deep roots in the Philippines.
Her father, Melvin, is as Filipino as the next Cebuano from Camotes Island. They may call Lyttleton (Christchurch) home, but still maintain healthy links with relatives in Poro (Cebu).
“Arielle still warmly calls her Cebuano grandparents lolo and lola. She is also quite fond of her cousins living here,” the blogger wrote.
“Arielle may be half-Pinay, half-English and full-Kiwi in nationality. But her heart definitely has a good chunk of the Filipino spirit in her.”