Miss Philippines Karla Henry, 22, reacts after winning the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant at the Expo amphitheatre in Clark air base in Pampanga, north of Manila November 9, 2008. Henry beat over eighty beauties from around the world. First runner-up, who won the title Miss Earth Air, was Miriam Odemba, 25, of Tanzania. (Source: www.beautyschool.blogspot)
A total package of beauty, brains and genuine concern for the environment, Karla Paula Henry won the first Miss Earth crown for the Philippines.
Miss Earth 2008: Karla Paula Henry, PHILIPPINES |
Miss Air: Miriam Odemba, TANZANIA |
Miss Water: Abigail Elizalde, MEXICO |
Miss Fire: Tatiane Alves, BRAZIL  |
TOP 8 FINALISTS:
COLOMBIA, Mariana Rodríguez
SPAIN, Adriana Reverón
SWITZERLAND, Nasanin Nuri
VENEZUELA, Daniela Torrealba
TOP 16 SEMI-FINALISTS:
CZECH REPUBLIC, Hana Svobodová
KOREA, Seo Seol-hee
NIGERIA, Uko Ezinne
POLAND, Karolina Filipkowska
ROMANIA, Ruxandra Popa
RUSSIA, Anna Mezentseva
THAILAND, Piyaporn Deejing
USA, Jana Murrell
SPECIAL AWARDS:
Miss Photogenic – Miss Philippines
Best in National Costume – Miss Panama
Best in Swimsuit – Miss Mexico
Miss Talent – Miss Australia
Best in Long Gown – Miss Venezuela
Miss Friendship – Ecuador
Video Links:
* Miss Earth 2008 – Presentation of the 85 Contestants
* Miss Earth 2008 – Top 16 Swimsuit Competition
* Miss Earth 2008 – 8 Finalists Up Close
* Miss Earth 2008 – Evening Gown Competition
* Miss Earth 2008 – The Final Question and Answer Portion – This is why Miss Philippines won!
Screencaps from the coronation night:
SOURCE : www.starmometer.com
——————————–
Karla Paula Henry
Miss Philippines
Age: 22
Height: 5′”6 1/2
Weight: 110 lbs
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Occupation: Model
Place of Birth: Cebu City
Can you describe yourself and your background?
One thing that can best describe my self is a word EARTH each letter will represent the characteristic that I possess E-nergetic, A-pproachable, R-eliable, T-alented and H-ospitable. Energetic in a way of accomplishing my duties, Approachable to all my countenance, Reliable in pursuing or realizing the dreams of a concern Filipino in making/keeping the GREEN Earth, Talented to attract other people from different countries and Hospitable for it is the best Filipino Traits known in the world. And I would like to be an instrument to every woman who believe in their own ways.
What are your preparations for the upcoming Miss Earth?
I believe winning the Miss Earth title need not to have that much preparation, because the significant on it is not the preparation you have to win the title but is what you have done for the Earth before the pageant night. That is why I prefer to spend much time in solving an environmental issues, visiting and helping other countries in Asia who have environmental problems, spreading words about the ways on how to help the planet in our own ways. And if I win the title it is because I deserve it but if I lose at least I’ll be able to contribute my capabilities in order to keep the Earth a better planet to live in.
What is your environmental slogan?
BASURA MO LINIS MO!!! (Be responsible for your own trash) that would be my environmental slogan… It is simple yet powerful and I am sure everybody can do this.
Of all the elements of the Earth: Fire, Water and Air, which element are you most likely to associate with and why?
WATER because this will connect every country in the world, the sea touches the Philippines is the same sea in other countries. I believe water symbolizes life because a wave in the ocean will represents people’s trials, a calm water will represents human’s satisfactions, a water in the river will represents love for no one can stop its flows.
Aside from its environmental platform, what makes Miss Earth different from other pageants like Miss World and Miss Universe?
For me, Miss Earth is so realistic in terms of commitments, the duties that you have as a reigning Miss Earth is for life time, because as long as you live in this Earth you are part of it, and you have still role for it .. The Miss Earth title is indeed remarkable.
In your country what are the major ways it does to protect or improve the environment?
Educating people is still the best way in order to protect and inprove the environment.
Any message to Woman of the Earth Forum?
A woman must love Nature for its never fails you. A woman must take courage and strength from all the elements of the Earth for the Earth called as MOTHER Earth because it is dedicated to the women of Earth. Therefore, we must be the first to take care of it, we must be a role model to the people of the world and we must be an instrument in protecting the planet earth.
Thank you very much to Miss Philippines, Karla Paula Henry and Ferdinand Abejon for the photos.
Originally posted at Woman of the Earth forum: http://www.voy.com/217922/
She deserves it talaga. Congrats Karla!
Filipino people must be truly proud of their own heritage.We can excel whatever endeavors for our country’s progress sake.Exceptional gift of beauty can radiates only if we sre true and sincere enough in helping our environment to preserve its natural beauty and grandeur.I congratulate Miss Earth 2008 for vieing the crown.I pray that u will be able to help our country to protect and preserve Philippines’ flora and fauna and the world as well.Encourage the Filipino youth all over the world to enrich our country and be model of achiever to reach their dreams and an inspiration to educate them to higher degree of excellence.Mabuhay ka at magsilbing magandang halimbawa para sa pangarap ng bawat Pilipino!!!
Filipino people must be truly proud of their own heritage.We can excel whatever endeavors for our country’s progress sake.Exceptional gift of beauty can radiates only if we are true and sincere enough in helping our environment to preserve its natural beauty and grandeur.I congratulate Miss Earth 2008 for vieing the crown.I pray that u will be able to help our country to protect and preserve Philippines’ flora and fauna and the world as well.Encourage the Filipino youth all over the world to enrich our country and be model of achiever to reach their dreams and an inspiration to educate them to higher degree of excellence.Mabuhay ka at magsilbing magandang halimbawa para sa pangarap ng bawat Pilipino!!!
wow, i really really proud being a Phillipina! shaz’s my hair,,,,,i really salute miss. Henry for winning Miss Earth 2008. congratulation……..
Classic expression – of shock and surprise, di ba?
[...] MISS EARTH 2008 : KARLA PAULA HENRY OF THE PHILIPPINES !!!! MABUHAY! [...]
Mas feel ko sana ang Spain at Switzerland. Pero oks na rin si Karla.
I’m so surprised first of all for miss henry for winning the Ms. Philippines Earth Title, because when she joined in Bb. Pilipinas, she was not able to make it to the top 10 or even won any major awards. But something better awaits her, that is to win not just a local pageant but an INTERNATIONAL PAGEANT….she’s witty, beatiful and intelligent enough to top up any girl in the pageant. She should give it another try to join Bb. Pilipinas like Carlene Aguilar and who knows, she might win another International Pageant
Congratz Miss Cebu, I mean Miss Earth 2008- Karla…u make all the Cebuanos proud…BE A CATALYST OF CHANGE….
congrats….
we proud off you!!!!!!
congratulations!!! you deserve of the title. you have what it takes for being the new ms. earth!! keep it up girl!!
KARLA HENRY: The Down-To-Earth Beauty From The Queen City
By Ariel Allosada Allera
ariel_allera@yahoo.com
If Venezuela is allegedly known to be home to world-class beauty queens, the Philippines is haven to down-to-earth daughters of Mother Nature.
This has been proven hands down by Karla Paula Ginteroy Henry, our country’s bet to this year’s Miss Earth beauty pageant, the very first Asian to have inherited the title after 7 summers, not to mention the first Cebuana to have made it beyond the national sphere.
To say that she captured the crown by edging out the planet’s most environmentally responsible women and winning the judges’ nod with her bewitching charm and regal bearing would be an understatement for the country’s first title-holder who awakened the children of the earth that significant night.
“I would suggest that environmental awareness be included in the current curriculum not only in U.S. schools but also here in the Philippines…. for I firmly believe that the children are definitely our hope in resolving global environmental issues,” replied Karla to the final question: “If you are to meet the newly elected U.S. President Barrack Obama, what will you tell him?”
But what if she were to talk to our very own President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? The quick-witted Cebuana charmer admits to having said, “I would tell President Arroyo the same thing as I would President Obama. The lack of awareness and ignorance towards the environment is an issue that is relevant not only in our country but also in the entire world. The youth, specifically young Filipinos, are eager to learn, and inasmuch as we want them to advance in their academic endeavors, we should also consider that the children are our best weapons for the fight against many of our environmental issues.”
Tough competition
In an exclusive interview for The Freeman Entertainment, Karla, a certified responsible woman of the earth, wouldn’t have changed a bit of her answer to the question, given another time and circumstances. “I wouldn’t have changed the content of my answer. I stand proudly by my advocacy which is environmental education. The delivery may have been more fluent but the content would still have been the same.” She adds that one of her dreams as Miss Earth is for her to really be given the once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to meet Obama in flesh, so that together, they can discuss relevant issues of today, especially as far as global warming is concerned, and talk into best resolutions via their respective positions.
She might have had a lot of pageant and modelling experiences, but Karla couldn’t underestimate the fact that she was competing neck and neck with fellow veterans from all over the world. While she was bent on becoming the first Filipina to win the Miss Earth title, Karla had her share of qualms and whatnot. However, she was more excited than nervous throughout the pageant. She shares, “I think that any of us 84 delegates could have easily been crowned that night given the right time at the right place. All of us were chosen by our countries because our countrymen believed that we are intelligent and beautiful women, that we would make perfect ambassadors for the preservation and conservation of the environment not only in our respective homelands but also in the entire planet.”
From the onset of the competition down to the last round, Karla was apparently a stand-out amongst the bevy of beauties vying for one of the top 3 most prestigious positions in the international pageant field (vis-a-vis Miss Universe and Miss World). But inasmuch as Miss Earth is organized and held annually in our own backyard in the Philippines, controversies couldn’t help surrounding our very own environmental advocate—which would bring back to this writer’s conversation with Karla as her official chaperone during her homecoming from winning as Miss Philippines last May.
Asked where Miss Earth would be held in a few months, Karla answered, “I heard it’s going to be in Korea, but negotiations have not been finalized yet. It would be exciting if it were to be held in one’s own country, but then I heard that it would lessen a local delegate’s chance of winning for delicadeza reasons. But if it should be happening here sometime in November, let me just do my best, and let’s cross the bridge when we get there.
Unfazed by controversy
Karla, the half-Canadian/Filipina mestiza who once was chosen as Miss TriMedia representing The Freeman, is nonetheless poised in the face of all the scuttlebutts around her winning the most coveted crown of Miss Earth 2008. “I respect people’s opinion, but I would disagree if they said that the organization was biased and unfair. For eight years that Miss Earth has been held in the Philippines, not once had our country won the main title. Even our very own Miss Philippines last year did not make it to the top 16 cut, thus paving the rumors that this pageant was fixed. I would rather dwell on my responsibility to care for our Mother Nature because that’s what I’m here for in the first place. I believe that the judges were right about choosing me and the organizers didn’t do anything to influence the judges’ decision because that’s beyond their control. If there are still critics out there, I urge them to rewatch the pageant either on Youtube or otherwise and be the judge for themselves. Besides, if we paid more attention to caring for our environment than putting down this one pageant for a cause, for sure we can gradually become a cleaner and greener nation,” says the brainy beauty from the Queen City of the South.
Those who have the trained eye for beauty and grace, not to mention the keen ear for wit, couldn’t have been more downright quick in contesting the hearsays that the results were rigged out of a homecourt decision. Karla’s magical aura, let alone unblemished tasteful opulence in her stage presence that particular Sunday night at Clark Expo Ampitheater in Pampanga, stunned even the millions of viewers squatting before their respective boobtubes.
No less than The Freeman’s fashion scribe Dexter Alazas, managing director of the A.D. Models Philippines that handles Karla Henry’s career and entered her in Miss Philippines-Earth, says “I wish everyone were intelligent enough to see through a beauty queen’s class and elegance, the inner beauty in her, and of course her EQ (Environment Quotient) so that they would understand why our very own delegate was picked the fairest of them all.”
The very morning after being unplaced in last March’s Binibining Pilipinas marked her foray into what she later realized as her life-changing stride in this planet. Dexter Alazas had arranged an appointment for her at Carousel Productions, the outfit that organizes both Miss Philippines and Miss Earth, wherein she was to become an official candidate to Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 representing Cebu City. The next thing Karla knew, she had emerged as winner from a multitude of more than 50 delegates representing different municipalities, cities, overseas Filipino communities, organizations.
Commitment to the environment
During Miss Earth, we couldn’t help wondering what could’ve been her thoughts from the start of the pageant up until she was announced as part of the magic 4. And when it was just her and Miss Tanzania left to be proclaimed as either Miss Air or Miss Earth, what was Karla saying to Miriam (Tanzania) as both of them were holding each other’s hands? “I was telling her that no matter what the result would be, we had made our respective countries proud and so we should be both proud of it, especially that it would’ve been the first time for either Philippines or Tanzania to be either Miss Earth or Miss Air. Miriam was always full of energy, and I couldn’t be happier to have spent the one month with her, as well as with Abby (Miss Mexico) and Tatianna (Miss Brazil). I’m sure Miriam would’ve also become a wonderful Miss Earth had she been the one chosen,” Karla admits, and reacts to doubts out of curiosity whether she sensed an air of jealousy, “Miss Tanzania was never like that. She was a sweet and kind woman who’s never afraid to speak her mind—that’s why she and I got along very well. She was very happy for me. We were very close from the very beginning. She was like a sister to me all throughout. I remember she’s so fond of discussing politics, career, family, love, etc…”
That would’ve been an exhausting night for Karla and all the other girls who had been gearing up together, prepping up for one month en route to the final selection and grand coronation. Hence, who wouldn’t want to know what was it like sleeping with a Miss Earth crown on her head and also what was the first important thing she did upon getting up as soon as the sun had risen? “To be completely honest, after many weeks of nonstop activities, I was just thankful that I finally had the privilege of a good night’s sleep knowing that I had reached my ultimate goal. I was finally able to sleep at peace that night,” she sighs.
In the midst of her controversial victory, what could’ve her first morning as the brand-new Miss Earth looked like? “The next morning was quite intense. The four of us were immediately rushed off to certain activities… throughout the hustle and bustle of the day. We didn’t have the opportunity to notice any other delegate who might’ve been sour-graping. Plus, I think the girls were too busy cherishing their last few moments with each other before departing for their respective countries,” Karla remembers.
With the pageant’s thrust in promoting environmental awareness via Miss Earth’s mission to dedicate her reign in addressing issues concerning the environment, it seems a rather tall order for this 22-year-old brown-eyed beauty queen whose highest goal before her reign ends is “to travel to many different countries promoting Ms. Earth’s message of a Green Lifestyle, and to actively participate in their respective environmental organizations…” As the 8th Miss Earth, she would like to be remembered for having accomplished many things for Mother Earth in the course of her reign and beyond. “I’m not going to consider my turnover next year as the end of it all, for the world’s environmental problems will not go away with the relinquishing of my crown to my successor. I would still gladly be ready to give a helping hand to the new batch of Miss Earth beauties.
Currently based in Manila to fulfill her duties and responsibilities as both Miss Philippines and Miss Earth, Karla Henry may either choose to come back to Cebu or decide to stay in the Metropolis after her reign. It goes without saying that fellow Cebuanos would like to know if she is going to give it a shot, should showbiz beckon — just like it did to her fellow international title-holders Precious Lara Quigaman, Miriam Quaimbao, Michelle Aldana, et al.
“I am taking things one day at a time and cherishing every minute of my reign. To think of the end would be quite depressing for me so, as I said before, let’s cross the bridge when we get there. But as for now, nothing fills my head but the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me by the organization and the Miss Earth Foundation,” Mother Nature’s most beauteous daughter beams, with a promise to be well worthy of both her title as Miss Earth 2008 and her cause to make this planet a cleaner and greener place to live in.
[...] to Life Funtastique for the [...]
i am truly proud of miss Karla Henry aside from being Miss earth2008 shes truly beautiful and intilligent.i am proud of her coming from same city CEBU shes the pride of all cebuano.congratulations and hoping she can send me message in my email.thanks
Hi! I would like to request for your kind assistance if you could furnish me details on how to get in touch with Ms. Karla Paula Henry. Our company, SM Development Corporation is interested to invite her in one of our upcoming events. Hope to receive a favorable response from you.
Thanks!
conratulations philippines ms paula we are proud of you god bless