The ‘Miss Earth’ Pageant stands tall as a beacon of beauty and environmental advocacy. The eco-chic stalwarts, Ramon Monzon and Lorraine Schuck, President and VP respectively of Carousel Productions, pulled off the pre-pageant festivities with flying colors, notwithstanding the unexpected transfer of venue, due to the heavy floods that wrecked havoc in its original site, Bangkok. They’re hosting 84 candidates worldwide, including Miss Earth 2010 Nicole Faria; and with barely three weeks of preparations prior to last night’s coronation, it was truly a giant feat. Yet, it was a welcome treat, what with the Filipinos’ long standing love affair with beauty pageants.
We attended three evenings of festivities: the ‘Evening Gown’, the ‘National Costume’ and the ‘Talent’ events; and as one of the judges in the “Evening Gown” competition, I had my share of exhilarating moments, witnessing the youthful and vibrant candidates extol the virtues of Mother Earth. The slogan “Reuse, reduce and recycle” was evident in the fabrics, designs and colors of the evening gowns. Vivacious VP for External Affairs Ping Valencia tasked Rupert to be a judge as well, in the “National Costume” competition. Major sponsors were: The Department of Tourism, Philippine Airlines, Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg, Miss Earth Foundation and Karilagan International Travel & Tours Corporation.
