Miss Philippines, Angelia Ong pulls off a back-to-back at Miss Earth 2015 in Austria

Cheers to Miss Philippines who won anew the crown of Miss Earth in a record setting first back-to-back win in the history of the pageant. Angelia Gabrena Ong succeeds fellow Filipina, Jamie Herrell after she bested 85 other women Earth warriors at the 15^th year edition that took place at the Marx Halle in Vienna, Austria on December 5, 2015. In what could be said was an upset victory, Miss Philippines outshone the rest of the finalists in the question and answer portion that saw her shot to the top of the judges’ scorecards.

Asked by one of the judges to come up with a slogan that could take the Miss Earth pageant through the next 15 years and could take the place of its existing slogan “Beauties for a Cause,” she replied: “We will, because we can. I want to let everybody know that everything is possible and everything is feasible if we work together. We will, because we can.”

Making up her elemental court are Miss Australia, Dayanna Grageda – Miss Earth Air (1^st Runner-up); Miss USA, Brittany Payne – Miss Earth Water (2^nd Runner-up) and Miss Brazil, Thiessa Sickert – Miss Earth Fire (3^rd Runner-up). In the top 8 are Austria, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela. While making it to the top 16 are Czech Republic, France, Guam, Hungary, Mauritius, Mongolia, Scotland and Ukraine. Countries and territories that made their debut in this year’s pageant are Armenia and New Caledonia.

The coronation show was hosted by Oli Pettigrew, Joey Mead King and Katia Wagner. The panel of judges included dignitaries from the United Nations and UNIDO, a European fashion designer, a European film director, the owner of Fashion TV (FTV), the chairwoman of the MEO and the first Miss Earth winner who is from Denmark.    

“We will, because we can!” We are beginning to like it. It is catchy, timely, strong, affirmative and inclusive. We hope the Miss Earth organization will actually adopt it as its new slogan for the next decade and a half.