Ni ROBERT R. REQUINTINA
ISANG medical physicist mula sa Manila na nagsusulong ng adbokasiya sa energy conservation ang nanalong Miss Philippines Earth 2017 sa pageant na ginanap sa SM Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City nitong nakaraang Sabado ng gabi.
Tinalo ni Karen Ibasco, 26, ang 39 na iba pang mga kandidata sa beauty pageant na nagsusulong ng pangangalaga sa kapaligiran. Siya ang magiging kinatawan ng Pilipinas sa Miss Earth international pageant sa Nobyembre.
Mag-asawang hindi nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral, pinagtapos naman ang 9 na anak!
Sa final round, tinanong ang Top 5 semi-finalists ng iisang katanungan: “The government slogan is change is coming. What change do you wanna see in terms of environmental policies in the country.”
Ang sagot ni Karen: “In terms of environmental policies, everyone (is) experiencing climate change. The whole world is experiencing climate change. I’m just grateful that the Philippines has signed the Paris Treaty. What I want to see is to pass a carbon tax. In that way, we would invest in renewable energy to help our world to be a better place, greener, inhabitable for the whole country.”
Hindi na kataka-takang mani-mani lang kay Karen ang question-and-answer portion ng pageant, ayon kayJay Patao, ang nag-iisang newspaper pageant columnist sa bansa.
“During the pre-judging for the intelligence segment of the contest, the judges were simply amazed at her. In fact, there was a moment of silence after a few rounds of questions. One judge even said, ‘what can I say? I have no more questions to ask,’” ani Patao.
Ang elemental winners ngayong taon ay sina Jessica Marasigan, Caloocan City, Miss Philippines Earth-Fire;Vanessa Mae Castillo, Lobo, Batangas, Miss Philippines Earth-Eco-Tourism;Kim de Guzman, Olongapo City, Miss Philippines Earth-Air; at Neliza Bautista, ng Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, Miss Philippines Earth-Fire.
Ang iba pang kandidatang pumasok sa Top 10 ay sina Korin Frances Dizon(Angeles City); Rianne Charlotte Kalaw(Lipa City); Jessica Rose McEwen (New Zealand); Catherine Tabaniag (Panglao, Bohol); at Anne Krishia Antonio(Porac, Pampanga).
Ipinagpatuloy ni Ibasco ang winning streak ng Kagandahang Flores beauty camp sa ilalim ni Rodgil Flores na nakapagbigay ng titleholders sa Miss Philippines Earth contest simula 2008.
Si Karen Ibasco ay nagtatrabaho bilang medical physicist sa St. Luke’s Hospital. Nagtuturo rin siya sa University of Sto. Tomas, ang kanyang alma mater.
Ang medical physicists ay gumagamit ng iba’t ibang analytical, computer-aided at bio-engineering techniques sa kanilang trabaho gaya ng radiotherapy, x-ray imaging, ultrasound, tomography, radiology, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging at lasers, ayon sa website na target jobs ng United Kingdom.
Hindi sila katulad ng mga doktor kundi katuwang ng mga ito sa pag-assess at paggamot sa mga karamdaman, ayon pa sa website.
Nang mapabilang sa Top 10 semi-finalists, tinanong si Karen na ipaliwanag ang hashtag #fake news.
“Nowadays, a lot of people distribute fake news but one of the most important mediums is social media. We have to learn (how) to use it for social good. We have to learn to disseminate… and also to filter the right information not just for yourself... but also for the people in your circle of influence,” sagot ni Karen.
Hindi ito ang unang pagsabak ni Karen sa national pageants. Noong 2016, sumali rin siya sa Bb. Pilipinas contest ngunit hindi pinalad.
Binibigyang-diin ni Ibasco ang kahalagahan ng energy conservation.
“As a physicist, I understand the importance of daily consumption of energy that is why my environmental advocacy is the conservation of energy and to embrace renewable and sustainable sources of energy in exchange for fossil fuel, which contributes to a huge percentage in global warming,” aniya.
Samantala, nagwagi ng special awards sina Marie Sherry Ann Tormes(Mandaluyong City), Ms SM Markets;Vanessa Mae Castillo,(Lobo, Batangas) Earth Warrior 2017; Adalyn Dumlao (Taguig City), Best Eco-video; Elizabeth Amahan (El Salvador City), Best in Cultural Costume.
Nauna nang ibinigay ang iba pang special awards sa Versailles Palace sa Alabang para sa Best in Resorts Wear -Jessica Marasigan (Caloocan City); Miss Psalmstre 2017 and Miss Red Fox - Samantha Viktoria Acosta (Pulilan, Bulacan); Miss Psalmstre New Placenta 2017 - Neliza Bautista (Villanueva, Misamis Oriental); at Miss Boardwalk -Kim de Guzman (Olongapo City).
