Miss Philippines crowned Miss Earth

MANILA – For the second year in a row, a Filipina-Canadian has been crowned Miss Earth in the “Beauties for a Cause” pageant. Last year it was Jessica Trisko for Canada, this year it is Canadian-born Karla Paula Henry who won the title as Miss Philippines Earth.

Miss Earth 2008A 22 year-old tourism student, Henry won the overall title of Miss Earth 2008 at the Clark Expo Amphitheatre in Angeles City, Pampanga on November 9. She also won the Miss Earth Designers Award and Miss Photogenic special award.

In the final question and answer round, Henry said, “Environmental knowledge is something that all of us must share, but most importantly, we must teach the youth that this is something that we should instil in them so that in the near future they will be the ones to take care of our mother Earth.”

Henry left Canada at the age of 13 with her father and now resides in Cebu City. In 2006, she joined the Miss Cebu pageant where she placed as 2nd runner-up and she also competed in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant last March.

Eight-five contestants from all over the world competed this year in the Eighth Annual Miss Earth beauty competition to promote environmental awareness. Other title winners were: Tatiane Kelen Alves, 24, from Brazil (Miss Fire); Abigail Elizalde Romo, 23, from Mexico (Miss Water); and Miriam Odemba, 25, of Tanzania (Miss Air). The top eight finalists also included: Mariana Rodriguez (Miss Colombia); Adriana Reveron (Miss Spain); Nasanin Nuri (Miss Switzerland); and Daniela Torrealba (Miss Venezuela).

Miss Earth is among the three largest beauty pageants in the world in terms of the number of national-level competitions that participate in the world finals.

Singer Billy Crawford, Miss Earth 2004 Priscilla Meirelles and Miss Earth Canada 2006 Riza Santos hosted the coronation night in Angeles City.