Baguio City artist makes history in Miss Philippines Earth 2020 pageant
A 23-year-old beauty queen from Baguio City won Miss Philippines Earth 2020 in the first-ever virtual presentation for a pageant aired over GMA 7 on Sunday afternoon, July 5.
But Filipino-Belgian Roxanne Allison Baeyens, an artist and commercial model, would still have to wait for her crown due to social distancing measures being implemented in the National Capital Region to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Baeyens edged out 32 other candidates in the two-hour presentation.
Baeyen's crown would be delivered to her soon, sources said. Outgoing Miss Philippines Earth Janelle Tee did not pass her crown during the broadcast.
Taped via the Zoom video platform, the MPE candidates paraded from the comfort of their homes. The telecast judges also did their judging chores from home.
Netizens congratulated the organizers for the success of the pageant, saying that it was the first time that a popular beauty pageant made a virtual presentation.
Baeyens who promotes environmental advocacy will represent the Philippines in the Miss Earth 2020 international pageant. "My environmental advocacy is urban gardening because the cities are no longer green and we have to start making changes and start planting."
"I want to be the Miss Philippines Earth 2020 because all my life, I was a witness of my mom being an environmentalist and I wanted to continue the legacy in my family and be the change I want to see in the world," she said.
A graduate of St. Louis University in Baguio City, Baeyens rose to fame when she won Face of Tourism Philippines 2019 in the contest organized by Annie Refrea. Then she represented the Philippines in the Miss Tourism Culture Universe 2019 pageant in Myanmar where she won first runner-up.
Other winners were: Patrixia Santos, from Daraga, Albay, a graduate of law at the University of the Philippines, Miss Philippines Earth-Air; Gianna Llanes, reporter and TV host, of Mandaluyong City, Miss Philippines Earth-Water; Shane Quintana Tormes, events host and singer from Atimonan, Miss Philippines Earth-Fire; and Ilyssa Marie Mendoza, Dermal Science student, of Melbourne, Australia, Miss Philippines Eco-Tourism. - Robert R. Requintina
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