Albay climate change envoy bags Bb. Pilipinas Universe title
Legazpi City (PNA) – Albay’s youth ambassador on climate change has brought another honor to the province after she was proclaimed as this year’s Binibining Pilipinas Universe. She will compete in this year’s Miss Universe pageant. The 21-year-old Maria Venus Raj is five feet and nine inches tall and hails from Bato, Camarines Sur. She graduated with honors (Cum Laude) from Bicol University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Journalism. Raj also represented Legazpi City in Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 and was crowned Miss Philippines Earth Eco Tourism 2008. Dianne Necio of Polangui, Albay was named First Runner-up.
Meanwhile, Bb. Pilipinas International 2009 Melody Gersbach, who proudly represented the Philippines in the Ms. International 2009 Pageant in China and clinched a spot in the semifinals, is also an Albayana from Daraga. She relinquished her crown to Krista Kleiner.
Photo courtesy of Raymond Saldaña Photography
In 2008, Raj was appointed by the Center for Initiative and Research on Climate Change (CIRCA) as youth ambassador on Climate Change Adaptation in the province of Albay. For the past two years, she actively participated in the local climate advocacy. She also bagged the Best Developmental Case Study plum in Bicol University for her paper entitled “The Role of Local News Papers in Climate Change Adaptation in 2009.”
In a telephone interview, Raj told the Philippines News Agency that she will continue to pursue her goal to encourage the youth to actively do their part in saving the environment. “I will not abandon my post as climate change ambassador of Albay,” she said.
Nhong Rangasa, CIRCA executive director said that Raj’s contribution in the Climate Change Adaptation advocacy continues. “I personally urged Venus to make use of her talent in the promotion of climate change adaptation, mitigation specially in food security,” he said. Rangasa also recommended the provision of cash incentive and certificate of citation to Raj for winning the title of Bb. Pilipinas Universe. (PNA)
Bb. Pilipinas 2010 winners: (L-R) Helen Henson, 2nd Runner Up and Miss Photogenic; Krista Kleiner, Bb. Pilipinas-International; Maria Venus Raj, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe; Czarina Gatbonton, Bb. Pilipinas-World; Dianne Necio, 1st Runner -Up. Image courtesy of OMPB Worldwide.
LAP/LQ/MDR/cbd
Source: Albay climate change envoy bags Bb. Pilipinas Universe title, by Mike de la Rama, Philippine News Agency. Accessed on March 8, 2010.
“Maria Venus Bayonito Raj will be representing the Philippines in the 59th Miss Universe pageant. This will possibly be held in one of these countries or territories: Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bolivia, or Croatia. According to pageant experts and pageant websites, this year’s Bb. Pilipinas 2010 is considered as one of the strongest batch ever produced by BPCI. So, we will see how far she would go to achieve our dream beating the title as the first Bicolana who will bring home the crown of Miss Universe in 2010. Good luck, Venus! You are truly the restored Bicol goddess of beauty.”
I have gone over some sites where people are “mocking” Ms. Raj. Some said her answer is lacking in substance… But I strongly disagree… Ms. Raj is brilliant…She could have given a good answer if given the right question… I regret to say this but makauyam si Ms. Baretto! Ang question nya nebulous! hmp! dahil sa kanya naparaot si Ms. Raj sa mga tawo….
I agree. I have seen Venus Raj as an emcee in a pageant here, and I can tell from the way she hosted it that she is a very intelligent person. Spontaneous but careful in her thoughts.
And as to her answer during the Bb.Pilipinas competition, I know it could have been better but how can you answer a vague question? Had Ms.Baretto’s question been better, Venus would have given the answer people would want to hear.
I was disappointed with Ms.Baretto’s question, I’m sorry but it seems it lacked some thinking…One more disappointment I have is Nicolette Henson,just being a 2nd runner up. She could have been the perfect candidate for Ms.World.
[...] beauty queen and Albay’s youth envoy for climate change Maria Venus Raj just might be the Philippines’ representative to the Miss Universe 2010 [...]
Climate Change is really scary, now we have super typhoons and a lot of flooding going on some countries..-,:
[...] than a month after she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe, Maria Venus Raj has been dethroned by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. due to questionable birth records. Ms. Raj, [...]