After a successful coronation night of Miss World Philippines 2022 last weekend, the delegates have been expressing their gratitude towards friends, family and fans for the love and support received during the journey of the national pageant. Albay’s Paula Ortega has also come forward to release an official statement regarding her Q&A experience during the finale. She addressed the issue on her performance during the second question and answer round.
"Still processing the fact that I was limited to giving my 100% on June 5. But I am doing better,” she wrote. The diva shared being extremely grateful for her journey and experience. "I truly enjoyed every day of the pageant, to do such fun challenges around the Philippines, thanks to the sponsors, to be able to bond with the amazing organization of MWPH, and mostly, being able to meet such exceptionally empowered Filipinas around me. I mean it," Paula added.
Addressing the question answer round, she wrote, “We, the candidates, seriously couldn’t hear a thing on stage... The first portion of Q&A I was able to understand a bit because I was reading Laura’s lips and still got just some words. But when it was for the second round, which I was the very first one, the judge started speaking and I didn’t even know he mistakenly called me no. 13.”
“Again, I literally couldn’t hear anything, when he said the question, I could only understand 'Metro Manila' and 'silver lining'. That is why I had to ask to repeat it but failed to understand it," Ortega explained. She said that if it weren't for the host Katarina Rodriguez, who relayed the word ‘traffic,’ she wouldn't have been able to answer at all.
Ortega was asked, “How would you console the Filipino commuting public especially those in Metro Manila, that there’s a silver lining to traffic problems?”, to which she originally answered, “I think we should address our traffic problems by using more sustainable transportation. I think it’s about time that Filipinos are aware of how the climate change is really present right now. COVID-19 really happened because of climate change and we should start working all together to embrace our home, because if we don’t build things by using public transportation, by using alternative energy, we are making a better place for our future, thank you so much.”
In her recent statement Paula also wrote her answer to the question, “There is no silver lining in our traffic. It is about time we stop romanticizing our problems and act into it. I would encourage people to use more of the (improved) public transportation, advocate for economic help for our dear jeepney riders as well as investing to improve our MRT service so we reduce the number of cars in Metro Manila and consequently reducing our carbon footprint in the Philippines. Climate change is real, and we should work together to do as much as we can to save our home, our Mother Earth."
While Paula finished among the Top 11 finalists, Gwendolyne Fourniol of Negros Occidental was crowned as Miss World Philippines 2022. Along with her, four other women were crowned alongside Fourniol; Alison Black from Las Piñas City was crowned Miss Supranational Philippines 2022, Ashley Subijano Montenegro from Makati City was crowned Miss Eco Philippines 2022, Ingrid Santamaria from Parañaque City was crowned Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2022, Beatriz Mclelland from Aklan was crowned Miss Eco Teen Philippines 2022.