Pre-pageant frontrunner and fan-favorite Janelle Lazo Tee of Pasig City was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2019 edging out 39 other candidates during the coronation night held at The Cove, Okada Manila, in Parañaque on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old Davao-born eco-tourism advocate is the third Miss Philippines Earth winner with Chinese lineage after 2001’s Carlene Aguilar and 2015 Miss Earth Angelia Ong.
Ana Monica Tan of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental was named Miss Philippines Air while top favorite Chelsea Fernandez of Tacloban City was named Miss Philippines Water. The rest of the Top 5 elemental winners were Alexandra Dayrit of Marikina City and Karen Nicole Piccio of Maasin, Iloilo who were crowned Miss Philippines Fire and Miss Philippines Eco-Tourism, respectively.
Miss Earth Philippines 2018 Silvia Celeste Cortesi, who is currently based in Italy, was not around to pass on her crown.
During the nerve-wracking Q and A portion, each of the Top 5 finalists were asked the same question: “Which do you think is a better strategy to encourage people to be environmentally conscious—give incentives for good environmental practice or penalize bad eco-habits? Why?”
“I would choose to give incentives because as a productive country we know that we have a lot of communities that need help in terms of livelihood projects and that’s what I’ve been doing with ABS-CBN Foundation. We have to teach them how to fish rather than just give them a fish for a day, something they can do for a living to sustain them,” Fil-Chinese beauty and former TV host replied.
Tee, who works with ABS-CBN Foundation, had a stint as co-host in Willie Revillame’s Wowowin, which airs on GMA-7. Apart from the popular game show she also appeared on ANC’s Chinoy TV.
Rounding out the Top 10 were Theressa Anne Mariano of Fil-Queensland, Australia, Brazzierie Yanson of Fil-Vienna, Austria, Jean de Jesus of San Rafael, Bulacan, Berjayneth Chee of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Halimatu Yushawu of Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay, Nathalie Louise Rozas of Dumaguete City, Marla Alforque of Cebu City, Lovly Lamptey of Taguig City, and Zahra Bianca Saldua of Las Piñas City.
Among the panel of judges were Michelle Tañada, founder Miss Earth Foundation, Lorraine Schuck, Executive VP of Carousel Productions, Jeffrey de la Paz, Manager of Diamond Hotel, beauty expert Ricky Reyes, Margot Chua, CEO HANA Cosmetics, and TV Host/CNN News Anchor Christine Jacobs-Sandejas.