PHOTOS: Miss Earth 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The Rappler team arrived at Versailles Palace in Alabang on November 24 at 5pm, 3 hours before the Miss Earth 2012 pageant was scheduled to start (the Miss Earth website said it was at 6pm and we wanted to set up and find our spot an hour before).

We found the candidates still rehearsing, and even sat with them while they waited for the final instructions pre-pageant. I couldn’t help but hear their conversation; they were talking about their families, what they did back home and how excited they were to go home.

Beautiful women with substance, I thought. They were all friends, too; they were telling each other what they liked about each other’s performances in the almost-month-long activities leading to that night. It was easy to tell that they meant what they said.

The program was directed by Johnny Manahan of ABS-CBN. Hosts were Marc Nelson and 2009 Miss Earth Air Sandra Seifert; co-host was Ginger Conejero. Singer and TV personality Billy Crawford did one number.

Miss Czech Republic Tereza Fajksova won the title. 

The other winners are:

• 3rd runner up – Miss Brazil Camila Brant
• 2nd runner up – Miss Venezuela Osmariel Villalobos 
• 1st runner up – Miss Philippines Stephany Dianne Stefanowitz

Here are Rappler’s photos:

Check out our blow by blow updates and behind the scenes pics at our Miss Earth 2012 live blog.

– Rappler.com