Colombia’s Miss Earth hopeful has reported feeling like “a celebrity” in the Philippines, ahead of this Saturday’s final, according to newspaper El Espectador.
24-year-old Andrea de Vivo, who is representing Colombia in this year’s international contest, has described her two weeks in the Philippines as “an incredible experience”, stating she is “proud” to be representing her country on Saturday.
Miss Earth — the beauty pageant with a conscience — seeks to promote the importance of environmental awareness alongside the importance of a dazzling smile and bikini body. But, showing that do-gooders are not immune to the trappings of fame, de Vivo has gushed about the contestants “celebrity” staus in the Philippines, and the “photos and press” that follow their every move.
The glamorous contentants must each talk about an environmental project of their choice as part of competition — de Vivo has gone with an endangered animal conservation program in Colombia, which she has been working on with the Ministry of the Environment — while the winner must dedicate their year to promoting global environmental issues. That, plus enjoying their winner’s prize of jewelery worth $25,000, naturally.
