Palace congratulates Jamie Herrell for winning this year’s ‘Miss Earth’ title

Jamie Herrell from Cebu wins Miss Earth 2014 (Screengrab from Rappler live coverage)

MANILA — Malacañang congratulated Cebu City’s Jamie Herrell for winning this year’s Miss Earth beauty title following a coronation held Saturday evening at the University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City.

“Ikinagagalak po natin ang kanyang tagumpay at binabati natin siya sa paglalagay muli sa ating bansa sa world map ng pagkilala in terms of beauty and talent (We are very happy with her triumph and we congratulate her for putting our country again in the world map in terms of beauty and talent),” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said over the state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday.

The 19-year old Cebuana bested out a total of 85 delegates from different countries in this year’s Miss Earth competition to bring the title back to the Philippines.

Coloma said they welcome Herrell’s achievement, knowing that Miss Earth is an annual international beauty pageant aimed at promoting environmental awareness and eco-tourism.

“Mahalaga po diyan sa pageant na ‘yan ang pagpapataas ng kamalayan at kaalaman hinggil sa kahalagahan ng environmental integrity ng ating planeta—kaya nga po ‘yan tinawag na Miss Earth—at sana po ay makatulong nga itong paligsahang ito, itong pageant na ito sa pagpapataas ng kamalayan ng ating mga mamamayan (Increasing awareness about the significance of our planet’s environmental integrity is very important in this pageant–that’s why it’s called Miss Earth–and we do hope that this pageant will help increase our countrymen’s awareness),” he said.

Miss Earth is considered as one of the so-called ‘Big Four’ beauty competitions in the world along with Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss International.

Also crowned last night as runners-up to Herrell were United States of America’s Andrea Neu (Miss Earth-Air), Venezuela’s Maira Alexandra Rodriguez (Miss Earth-Water), and Russia’s Anastasia Trusova (Miss Earth-Fire).