While I’m not claiming Miss Earth 2013 to have the friendliest and most sincere batch of candidates this year, it would be safe to say that this batch has the most number of down-to-Earth delegates assembled for a meaningful cause.
While the other big Grand Slam pageants are bringing up the contestants’ glam levels from head to foot, Miss Earth does the opposite. The ladies are literally one with the elements – sun, wind, water and even fire. And they’re loving it!
Just imagine an Austrian babe planting mangrove seedlings on a sandy coastline or a Mexican senorita shoveling soil with her bare hands or a Venezuelan goddess teaching elementary students in a real-life classroom on how to recycle or a Swiss Miss building a kite from scratch to be released in a running field or a pair of Russian and Ukrainian blondes painting a Mother Earth scene on canvas or a Paraguayan cutie and an American from Brooklyn packing relief goods for the ST Yolanda victims. Where else can you see beautiful delegates doing all these? Only in the Philippines.
So it doesn’t surprise me anymore that the friendships built among them are turning solid as a rock. They may be divided into three (3) groups, but the deep communal bonding in each have made them closer than ever.
And you know the best part of it all? They are all treated like queens wherever they go. In Sorsogon alone, Group 1 was welcomed like pop superstars and celebrities in every single appearance. In Batangas where Group 2 went, each member was given VIP treatment as if they are already the crowned winners. And in Group 3′s Pagudpud odyssey, the lucky ladies were hosted like no other.
Down-to-earth on top, Glammed-Up below
At the end of the day, all Miss Earth 2013 candidates have been exposed to both the natural and glamorous side of life. Now that they are already starting with their rehearsals for the finals come Saturday night, the mixed emotions must be starting to build up upon realizing that all the fun, excitememt and unending hospitality will soon be over. I’m pretty sure most of them will miss it.
The Miss Earth 2013 candidates putting in their personal donations for the ST Yolanda victims
And the eventual winners will have the distinct reward of extending the special experience a little longer. 
