Ni LITO T. MAÑAGO

MULA sa mahigit 50 beauty delegates, itinanghal na Miss Eco International (MEI) 2018 ang huling Miss World Queen na si Cynthia “Thia” Thomalla. 

Ang coronation night ng Miss Eco International 2018 ay ginanap sa Cairo Opera House, Cairo, Egypt nitong Biyernes ng gabi (Sabado ng madaling araw sa Pilipinas). 

Bago sumapit ang coronation night ng MEI, pumasok na agad si Thia sa ilang pre-pageant activities tulad ng Best Eco Dress Prime, Best in Talent at Best Resorts Wear. Pasok din siya sa hot picks ng ilang pageant sites. 

Nang pumasok si Thia sa Top 10, nagpa-impress na agad siya ng sagot sa mga hurado. 

Ang paliwanag niya sa nabunot na word na “volunteering,” “I think if people volunteered to do something for the betterment of our nation then that is a positive stand and I believe that if you do volunteering, you do it sincerely with an open heart and an open mind. It is not just for ourselves but for the whole world. Thank you.” 

Lalong hinangaan ang Southern Leyte stunner pagdating sa tanong na, “What do you think is the most important thing that beauty pageants add to people and the world?”

Sagot niya, “I think the most relevant thing that we beauty queens can add to the world is raising awareness on our own causes. For example, the Miss Eco International is raising the advocacy of sustainable tourism and protecting the environment and that is the main point of doing beauty pageants, by raising our voices to help the earth. Thank you.”

Si Thia ang first Pinay na nanalo ng Miss Eco International succeeding Miss Eco Canada Amber Bernachi na winner last year. 

Thia’s court includes Miss Eco Indonesia Astira Vernadeina (first runner-up), Miss Eco Vietnam Nguyen Thi Dung (second runner-up), Miss Eco Costa Rica Glennys Medina Segura (third runner-up) at Miss Eco Peru Kelin Rivera (fouth runner-up). 

Bago lumipad patungong Egypt, nakausap pa namin si Thia sa video at photo shoot niya ng YAZZ Prepaid Card ng Metrobank Card Corporation (MCC) sa Parallax Studio Makati at sinabi niyang gagawin niya ang lahat para maiuwi niya ang korona. 

“If not, may option ako to try showbiz,” wika ni Thia kung saan pumirma siya along with the other Miss World Queens ng kontrata sa Regal Entertainment nina Mother Lily at Roselle Monteverde. 

Samantala, bagong karagdagan si Thia sa iba pang reyna ngayon ng Miss World Philippines Organization na sina Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez na nag-uwi ng korona ng Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 sa Sta. Cruz, Bolivia.

Sinundan siya ni Sophia Seronon na kinoronahan naman bilang Miss Muntinational 2017/2018 sa New Delhi, India. Ang major winner ng Miss World PH na si Laura Lehmann ay hindi pinalad dahil pumasok lang sa Top 40 ng Miss World sa Chengdu, China.

Congratulations, Thia!