Agencies/Manila

Venezuela’s candidate to the 2013 Miss Earth pageant, Alyz Henrich, was crowned the title winner at Versailles Alabang in Las Pinas yesterday.
Austria’s Katia Wagner was named Miss Air, Thailand’s Punika Kulsoontornrut took home the Miss Water title, while Korea’s Catharina Choi was named Miss Fire, ABS-CBNnews.com reported.
Henrich, whose advocacy is the conservation of the Los Roques chain of islands in her native country, was asked how she thinks eco-tourism can contribute to the protection of the environment.
The 22-year-old answered: “We are responsible for the destruction of our nature. We need to be aware and take care of Mother Earth.”
The crowning of Henrich as Miss Earth marks the second major win for Venezuela, considered as a pageant powerhouse, in international beauty competitions this year.
Only last month, another Venezuelan beauty, Gabriela Isler, clinched the Miss Universe crown.
The Philippines’ Ariella Arida finished third runner-up in the same competition.
Angelee Delos Reyes, the Filipino candidate to Miss Earth, almost matched Arida’s success by finishing in the top eight last night, alongside the delegates of Austria, Mexico, Korea, Thailand, Venezuela, Serbia and Poland.
Delos Reyes, who got the loudest cheers from the predominantly Filipino audience during the finals night, picked a topic related to super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) for the question-answer session.
“A month after Yolanda struck the country, how do you think Mother Earth feels now?”
The 26-year-old registered nurse answered: “She (Mother Earth) feels sad now. It’s a wake up call for us. We must take care of Earth so it can take care of us.”
Completing the top 16 were the candidates of Turkey, Chile, France, China, Mauritius, Spain, USA, and South Africa.
Kazakhstan’s Kumis Bazarbayeva got the ‘Best in Talent’ award, Kulsoontornrut won ‘Best in Resorts Wear,’ while India’s Sobhita Dhulipala took home the Miss Photogenic trophy. She also won the Miss Earth Eco-Beauty competition, where each candidate showcases her environmental advocacy through a video.
Awarded the Miss Friendship title were Indonesia’s Nita Sofiani, Lebanon’s Rita Houkayem and Gabon’s Filiane Mayombo Koundi.
Leading up to the coronation night, the candidates took part in relief efforts for the survivors of Haiyan. This year’s pageant had been announced to focus on raising awareness about climate change, in relation to the devastation caused by the typhoon.
The Philippines-based international pageant, whose slogan is  ‘Beauties for a cause,’ has been held in the country annually since 2001, except in 2010 when Vietnam hosted the finals night.
Delos Reyes’ top 8 finish in Miss Earth follows several successes of Filipinas in other international pageants, including Megan Young’s Miss World win, Mutya Datul’s Miss Supranational win, and Arida’s Miss Universe third runner-up finish.