alike.com.ph—Filipino-Italian model Silvia Celeste Cortesi won Miss Earth Philippines 2018 last May 19, 2018, at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Cortesi, who represented the Filipino community of Rome, will now compete as Miss Philippines at this year’s Miss Earth competition.

During the pageant, when asked about Boracay closing off for rehabilitation, Cortesi stated that she agreed with President Duterte’s decision. “I think that Boracay needs a drainage system because the ‘juice’ of trash goes directly to the ocean. We have to control the capacity of hotels,” shared the Filipina-Italian beauty queen. This was a rare moment in recent years that a pageant contestant openly stated her political leaning regarding a current issue.

Photo from Titas of Pageantry Instagram account

In previous years, beauty queens have stayed silent about their own political beliefs. It’s only recently that some of them have chosen to be outspoken about their views. Recent examples include Pia Wurtzbach’s pro-LGBT stance, and Mariel De Leon’s online criticism of Mocha Uson’s appointment as PCOO assistant secretary. This kind of candor has sparked online debate among pageant aficionados about whether it’s appropriate for a beauty queen to be so open in such a manner.

As Cortesi now wears the sash that says “Philippines,” she represents the entire Filipino nation, even those who may not agree with her views. Such is the responsibility beauty queens take once they’re crowned, which is why many people still prefer that they remain quiet on political issues. The conflict these queens now face, however, is that women of today are encouraged to be outspoken and courageous, which means dipping their toes in political waters as needed. Since beauty pageants are generally seen as antiquated nowadays, engaging in public discourse will benefit the queens’ relevance and possibly attract even more like-minded admirers.

As the country’s beauty queens strive to bring pride to our land, their own positions in politics are under constant scrutiny. Their fans are divided, as some encourage queens to share their views on certain issues while others prefer they stay neutral.

Which type of queen do you think deserves to bear the Philippine sash in this day and age?

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