PageantCast News Desk: Global beauties vs global warming

By Giovanni Paolo J. Yazon

FOR six years now, the Miss Earth pageant, of Carousel Productions Inc., takes pride as the lone international beauty contest that brings together women from seven continents of the world that give beauty a more significant meaning—that which inspires people to make a stand on pressing issues pertaining to the environment.

Such inspiration will soon find its “Mother Nature’s ambassador” among the delegates in this “search for a cause.” This year, global warming will be the environmental issue that they will concentrate on. Eighty-eight women will embark on a promotional campaign to change the people’s insight on global warming—from the abstract threat to the critical reality. The pageant hopes to educate everyone on the simple steps that one can take right now to alleviate global warming.

“As Miss Earth moves forward, it continues to attract more and more countries that want to send participants to this competition. It is very satisfying to be able to attract so many young ladies who want to get involved in our environmental mission. It proves that the youth today want to make a difference,” said Carousel Productions president Ramon Monzon.

“All the entrants will also be busy promoting the Philippines as a cutthroat and enviable tourist destination. They will stay and bring world attention to the beauty and attraction of the exotic island of Coron in Palawan; Golden Sunset Resort in Calatagan, Batangas; Trace Aquatic Center in Los Baños, Laguna; Villa Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon; Tagaytay City; and the Fontana Leisure Park and Casino in Pampanga,” added Lorraine Schuck, the organization’s executive vice president.

Meet the ladies

At the press presentation of Miss Earth 2006 held at the poolside of Traders Hotel in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City last Nov. 9, all eyes and camera lenses focused on the beautiful faces and to-die-for bodies of ladies clad in sea-green bikinis and four-inch high heels as they introduced themselves in their respective languages and walked the runway. They also “protested” by waving placards bearing environmental messages and distributed plants to the crowd. Here are the top contenders in this year’s competition:

1. Marianne Puglia Martinez of Venezuela. This 21-year-old social communications student from Universidad de Sta. Maria who hails from Aragua State has the “pressure” of achieving one after the other victory for her country. Last year’s Miss Earth crown was worn by her fellow “Belleza Venezolana,” Alexandra Braun Waldeck.

2. Amanda Helen Pennekamp of the United States, a 25-year-old actress and model from South Carolina, is another frontrunner. In 2004, she was first runner-up to eventual Miss Universe first runner-up Shandi Finnessey. Many of her fans believe that her “moment of glory” has finally come.

3. Francys Sudnicka of Poland. This 26-year-old accounting major is a half-Venezuelan. Prior to joining the Miss Poland-Earth search, she took a shot in the Miss Venezuela contest and became a semifinalist. Her global titles include Miss Tourism World of 2003 and Model of the Universe 2003.

4. Amruta Patki of India is a 21-year-old model and commerce student from Mumbai University. Standing at 5-feet-11, this dead-ringer for Binibining Pilipinas-World 1997 and erstwhile TV host Kristine Florendo is one of the top three winners of this year’s Femina Miss India search.

5. Judita Hrubyova of Slovak Republic is a 21-year-old social work student who dreams of becoming a doctor someday. When she competed in this year’s Miss Universe pageant held in Los Angeles, she placed third runner-up in the “GB Miss Photogenic Universe 2006” contest conducted by www.globalbeauties.com. She resembles dethroned Miss Universe of 2002 Oxana Fedorova of Russia.

6. Catherine Untalan of the Philippines. Our hometown girl is one of the tallest among this year’s batch of candidates, standing at six feet. This 20-year-old psychology cum laude graduate from the University of the Philippines in Diliman wants to be recognized as the first Filipino and Asian Miss Earth winner. She plans to initiate environmental awareness programs that will instill responsibility to the youth.

7. Hil Yesenia Hernandez Escobar of Chile. This 22-year-old commercial engineering student is another “knockout beauty” that has the looks—a cross between Charlene Gonzalez and Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen of India—and energy to compete for the Miss Earth crown. She is the top bet of pageant Web site www.opmb.com.

8. Melanie Boreham of Ireland is a 19-year-old model and psychology major from the University of Bath in England. This runway model of Carter, a high-end boutique in Belfast, is on the books of top model agent Alison Campbell. She was also a contestant in this year’s Miss Universe pageant.

9. Dina Fekadu of Ethiopia. This 22-year-old student is a batch mate of Precious Lara Quigaman in the Miss International 2005 beauty congress. When she competed in the Miss Universe pageant last June, she became one of the 20 semifinalists. For her, to be crowned Miss Earth, “is the ultimate accolade for femininity and beauty.”

10. Riza Santos of Canada is a 20-year-old pre-med student from the University of Calgary. Born and raised in Canada, her father is a native of Malolos, Bulacan, while her mother hails from Manila. She works as a news reporter for the Canadian Armed Forces Army Reserve.

The other favorites are Isabel Cornelis, an 18-year-old linguistics student from Belgium; Jessica Anne Jordan, a 22-year-old model from Bolivia; Maria Stahl Hurtado, a 25-year-old news reporter from Ecuador; Holly Ikin, a 19-year-old model from England; Anne Charlotte Triplet, a 19-year-old student from France; Sabrina van der Donk, an 18-year-old model from the Netherlands; Stefanie de Roux of Panama, top 15 semifinalist in the Miss Universe 2003 pageant; Elena Salnikova, an 18-year-old model from Russia; Cathy Johnny, a 19-year-old tourism management graduate from Saint Lucia; and Pathar Rungratanasunthorn, a 23-year-old designer from Thailand.

The coronation night of Miss Earth 2006 will be held on Nov. 26, Sunday, at the grounds of the National Museum in the city of Manila. It will be televised on ABS-CBN-2 at 9:30 p.m.

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