LOOK: Miss Earth candidates plant mangroves in Legazpi City

LEGAZPI CITY – Miss Earth 2018 candidates recently joined a mangrove-planting activity at Barangay Puro in Legazpi City. 

It was a way to “give back” to the planet. Miss Earth is a pageant that focuses on environmental issues. “We cut a tree, so we have to plant a new one. This symbolize that we have to give back to a planet that we take away to heal the earth,” said Rica Lucas, Hungary’s bet for the annual pagent said.

Rica, along with 29 Miss Earth beauties from 30 countries called on people and world leaders to work together for a healthier planet by planting trees.

Silvia Celeste Cortesi, Miss Earth Philippines, said that bringing back a healthier planet is possible by recycling plastic and greening denuded and coastal areas not only in Philippines but throughout the world.

Cortesi said that Miss Earth is a platform to heighten public consciousness. “Miss Earth is not just a beauty pageant. I decided to join the Miss Earth because it is not just a beauty pageant. It is a different beauty pageant with beauty and brain but because of we have the power to share our advocacy and Miss Earth is a platform,” she said.

The mangrove planting activity is the joint project initiative of Evangelyn “Vangie” Imperial of Imperial Productions, Legazpi City Host Lions Club, Noel De Luna of Kusog Bikolandia, Mayor Noel Rosal of the city government of Legazpi, National Union Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)-Albay chapter led by this reporter and of Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists, Inc. (PNEJ) in line with Miss Earth campaign to promote environmental consciousness in an effort to fight climate change. – Rappler.com