Before their respective competitions start this month, Miss Environment Philippines 2021 Michelle Arceo and Miss Eco Philippines 2021 Kathleen Paton met the pageant press during a triple send-off hosted by the Miss World Philippines Organization along with Tracy Maureen Perez last March 5.

At the send-off, Kathleen and Michelle were asked by pageant blogger Norman Tinio on their take about critics saying that they are many environmental theme pageants around the world.

Kathleen, who is currently in Eygpt said: “We [used to] see pageants as beauty only. It wasn’t brains before. So the fact that we have the ability to use our voice and an incredible platform to showcase our advocacies should actually be celebrated.”

“It’s up to us as well as you guys to educate people on this aspect that advocacy is an important point of view to have in pageantry and we should celebrate that.”

Michelle, who is scheduled to fly to India for the competition this April said: “I think that any competition that allows intelligent, beautiful young women to step on that stage to speak her truth is important. Especially the time now with what’s going on with our planet, we must change. We have to uplift others, we have to educate and inspire people to make a difference in their lives. And to ensure that the future generations to come have a clean and green planet that can start families and not worry about a planet crisis.”

“So why not have any more beauty competitions that speak about the environment? We have the social awareness and understanding but we lack the education and we lack the consistency to actually do something.”

Kathleen is set to compete for the country’s second Miss Eco International crown and hopes to bring it home since Thia Thomalla in 2018.

Michelle on the other hand will vie for the first title of Miss Environment in India.