Baguio City’s Roxanne Allison Baeyens edged out 32 other candidates to win the crown in Miss Earth Philippines’ first virtual pageant telecast live on GMA-7 Sunday morning.
The 23-year-old Saint Louis University graduate is a ballerina and an aspiring actress. She has an interest in landscaping and an advocate for urban gardening.
During the final question and answer, the final five candidates were asked “What important quality should a leader display amidst a pandemic?”
“A leader should display having a green thumb because at this point in time we have a shortage in food supply. So, it’s important to open the eyes of people to embrace having a sustainable life to start urban agriculture at their own homes, after all, a green life is a better life and I hope the leader will give that to us,” the Fil-Belgian beauty replied.
Baeyens, who bagged the Darling of the Crowd special award, also won the Best Eco-Video which presented an insightful present-day environmental situation of Baguio City and what are being done under the present leadership of Mayor Benjamin Magalong to rehabilitate the City of Pines and bring it back to its former beauty. A commercial model, Baeyens has also partnered with the Baguio Animals League organization which promotes responsible pet ownership.
Baeyens’ four elemental court of honor are Patrixia Sherly Santos (Air) of Daraga, Albay, Gianna Margarita Llanes (Water) of Mandaluyong City, Shane Tormes (Fire) of Atimonan, Quezon, and Ilyssa Marie Mendoza (Eco-Tourism) of Melbourne, Australia.
The two-hour coronation finals was hosted by Paulo Bediones. Online judges included Miss Earth 2005 Alexandra Braun, Miss Earth 2010 Nicole Faria, GMA Network vice-president for Program Management Joey Abacan, Matthias Gelber, Hana Shampoo Marketing Manager Carlos Bacani, and Miss RP-World 1975 Suzanne Gonzalez Gommer.
Miss Philippines Earth 2019 Janelle Tee gave her traditional farewell message along with the other elemental beauties. (E. B. Concepcion MS)
