Miss Philippines Reacts After Winning the Miss Earth 2008 Title

Miss Philippines Karla Henry (2nd R), 22, poses for photographers after winning the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant at the Expo amphitheatre in Clark air base in Pampanga, north of Manila November 9, 2008. Henry beat around eighty-five beauties from around the world declared their personal environmental campaigns, with the theme for this year's competition focused on "green lifestyle" during the coronation night on Sunday. In photo from L-R: Miss Brazil Tatiane Kelen Alves, 24, who won Miss Earth Fire, Miss Mexico Abigail Elizalde Romo, 23, Miss Earth Water, Miss Philippines, and Miriam Odemba, 25, of Tanzania, who won as Miss Earth Air.

Miss Philippines Karla Henry, 22, holds her crown after winning the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant at the Expo amphitheatre in Clark air base in Pampanga, north of Manila November 9, 2008. Henry beat around eighty-five beauties from around the world declared their personal environmental campaigns, with the theme for this year's competition focused on "green lifestyle" during the coronation night on Sunday.

Miss Philippines Karla Henry (C), 22, reacts after winning the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant at the Expo amphitheatre in Clark air base in Pampanga, north of Manila November 9, 2008. Henry beat around eighty-five beauties from around the world declared their personal environmental campaigns, with the theme for this year's competition focused on "green lifestyle" during the coronation night on Sunday. At right is Miriam Odemba, 25, of Tanzania, who won as Miss Earth Air.

Miss Philippines Karla Henry (L), 22, reacts to winning the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant at the Expo amphitheatre in Clark air base in Pampanga, north of Manila November 9, 2008. Henry beat around eighty-five beauties from around the world declared their personal environmental campaigns, with the theme for this year's competition focused on "green lifestyle" during the coronation night on Sunday. At right is Jessica Nicole Trisko, Miss Earth 2007.

Miss Philippines Karla Henry (C), 22, is congratulated by other beauty contestants after winning the Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant at the Expo amphitheatre in Clark air base in Pampanga, north of Manila November 9, 2008. Henry beat around eighty-five beauties from around the world declared their personal environmental campaigns, with the theme for this year's competition focused on "green lifestyle" during the coronation night on Sunday.

The Miss Earth 2008 stage at the auditorium of the Clark Expo in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. At the background are the ladies in their evening gowns.

Pictures of Miss Earth 2008 Winners

The Philippines got its first Miss Earth title ever after 8 years of the history of the pageant in a glittering and extravagant finals night in Clark Expo Auditorium in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines.

Karla Paula Henry is one of the early favorites to win the title. This is the first win of the Philippines this year in any international pageant and the first title in Miss Earth in particular.

This means another victory for this country after Patricia Fernandez made Philippines proud in the Miss International 2008 just last night in Macau, China by placing as one of the semi-finalists.

Miss Earth 2008 Kicks Off

If ladies in the international arena havearrived in Japan for the Miss International 2008 pageant, ladies of the earth have also convened in Manila, Philippines last October 19, 2008 for the the 8th edition of the beauty pageant.

Miss Canada, Jessica Nicole Trisco, is the outgoing Miss Earth. Jessica is from a Filipino heritage. The coronation will be a day after the coronotion of Miss International 2008. It will be held in Clark Expo Ampitheater on November 9, 2008. The Clark Expo is located outside of Manila in the middle of Luzon Island in the Philipppines. If Miss International is not to be shown worldwide via sattelite, Miss Earth 2008 will be broadcasted by Star TV and Abs-Cbn Filipino Channel worlwide. This is the edge of the latter to the former.

Eighty-five contestants from all over the earth were expected to arrive last October 19 but I don't know if all these ladies have arrived.

 I have reported earlier that this pageant is to be held in three countries - Manila Philippines; Bali, Indonesia and Guam, USA.

The tallest candidate at 185 cm is Miss Guam Jennifer Neves. Miss Mexico Abigail Elizalde who stands at 183 cm and Miss China Ying Kun Zhou at 182 cm are the next tallest candidates respectively. Sarah Adoley Addo of Ghana is the smallest at 165 cm.

Miss USA Jana Murell is the oldest candidate at 26 while there are few candidates at 18, the youngest.

Nine countries are competing for the first time and these are Bhutan, Congo D.R., Guam, Luxembourg, Malta, Rwanda, Scotland, Serbia and South Sudan.|On the other hand, there are more countries that backed out. 20 countries withdrew and these are Cameroon, Denmark, Fiji, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nepal, Niue, Norway, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, St. Lucia, Tibet, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, US Virgin Islands, Vietnam and Zambia.

If there are countries that backed out, some countries are also returning after a year or years of abscence. Turkey last competed in 2001; Hungary and Kosovo in 2003; Jamaica in 2005; and, Greece, Honduras, Pakistan, Panama, Russia and Tahiti in 2006. All these countries are back in this years pageant.

The host candidate is Karla Paula Henry of Cebu, a ramp model.

Miss Earth 2008 beauty contestants walk at the Sabang beach in Puerto Princesa city the capital of western Philippine island of Palawan on October 25, 2008. Candidates of Miss Earth visited the Puerto Princesa subterranean river national park a popular tourist site located in the city's pristine forest as part of Miss Earth environmental campaign. The winner of Miss Earth 2008 will be crowned on November 9, 2008 from among the 85 international contestants. AFP PHOTO/Romeo GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Residents watch Miss Earth 2008 beauty contestants during a bikini presentation at Sabang beach in Puerto Princesa city the capital of western Philippine island of Palawan on October 25, 2008. Candidates of Miss Earth visited the Puerto Princesa subterranean river national park a popular tourist site located in the city's pristine forest as part of Miss Earth environmental campaign. The winner of Miss Earth 2008 will be crowned on November 9, 2008 from among the 85 international contestants. AFP PHOTO/Romeo GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Residents watch Miss Earth 2008 beauty contestant Grigoria Antoniou, 20, (In Red) representing Greece escorted by a police at Sabang beach in Puerto Princesa city the capital of western Philippine island of Palawan on October 25, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Romeo GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Miss Earth 2008 beauty contestant Rachel Crofts of New Zealand parades in a swimsuit during a presentation at Sabang beach in Puerto Princesa city the capital of western Philippine island of Palawan on October 25, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Romeo GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images)

"Miss Earth 2008 beauty contestant Miriam Odemba, 24, representing Tanzania parades in a swimsuit during a presentation at Sabang beach in Puerto Princesa city the capital of western Philippine island of Palawan on October 25, 2008.AFP PHOTO/Romeo GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images)