MAKATI CITY, Philippines — The Miss World Philippines Organization has taken its COVID-19 measures further by providing all of its candidates vaccines against the dreaded coronavirus, this was revealed by reigning Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas Katrina Llegado in a recent gathering with a select group of media scribes.
“If we want to go back to normal, have yourselves vaccinated,” the 2020 Reina Hispanoamericana “Quinta Finalista” (fifth runner-up) said at an event organized by the Taguig Designers Council at La Luna Café in Taguig City on June 27.
The city’s designers called a press conference to present their latest muse, Asha Gutierrez, who represents Taguig in the 2021 Miss World Philippines pageant, where Llegado is one of the reigning titleholders.
“I worked with Asha on this [vaccination program]. And I would like to thank the Taguig local government unit for making it possible,” Llegado shared.
The reigning queen told the Inquirer that not only will the city provide two COVID-19 doses to each of the national pageant’s candidates this year, but also to the staff, officials, and members of partner media organizations.
“The city supports the whole pageant industry,” Llegado added.
The pageant organization has been carefully observing health and safety guidelines in its activities, even providing free antigen testing to all the participants, attendees, and staff and crew members before the start of every event.
Taguig City second district Rep. Lani Cayetano, who also graced the event at La Luna Cafe, said Gutierrez has been active in the city’s COVID-19 response.
“She personally took the time and studied, and educated us on the problem,” the lawmaker revealed.
Gutierrez, 26, has also been involved in addressing incidents of violence against women and children in the city, Cayetano added.
The Taguig designers, with the support of Cayetano and the Taguig City government, will provide Gutierrez’s competition wardrobe, from auxiliary events to preliminary competitions, all the way to the coronation night.
Gutierrez had already participated in the Miss World Philippines pageant before and was in the same batch as Llegado in the 2019 contest. She said she decided to return because “it’s a dream.”
She said she has learned a lot from her previous competition and is even more inspired to highlight her chosen advocacies on the pageant platform.
The former varsity basketball player promotes fitness and health. She has been a vegetarian for 11 years and admitted to slowly transitioning to a vegan lifestyle.
Gutierrez also pushes for gender-based rights and welfare through the nonprofit organization Transcend, “fighting abuse in all forms in the country,” she continued.
The Taguigeña will compete against 44 other aspirants for eight crowns—Miss World Philippines, Miss Supranational Philippines, Miss Eco Philippines, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas, Miss Multinational Philippines, Miss Eco Teen Philippines, Miss Philippines Tourism, and Miss Environment Philippines.
The 2021 Miss World Philippines coronation night will be staged at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on July 25 and will be broadcast on GMA 7.