Miss Eco International 2020

Philippines wins second place in environment-centered pageant finals

  By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Miss Eco Philippines Kelley Day was proclaimed first runner up to South Africa's Gizzelle Uys at the culmination of the Miss Eco International 2020 competition held at the Baron Resort in Egypt's coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Kelley also won the Best National Costume award during the pageant's preliminaries.

Miss Eco USA Alexandria Kelly was named second runner-up, while Miss Eco Costa Rica Kristell Ruiz was third runner-up. Miss Eco Venezuela, Steffania Rodriguez, who won the Best Reosrt Wear earlier in the contest, was proclaimed fourth runner-up.

The other winners of the special awards were Argentina (Best in Evening Gown), Dominican Republic (Miss Elegance), Thailand (Top Model), Spain (Most Photogenic), Egypt (Miss Personality), Albania (Best Smile), Montenegro (Miss Vatika Beautiful Hair), and Finland (Miss Congeneality). 

The continental titles went to Nepal (Miss Eco Asia), Bolivia (Miss Eco South America), Canada (Miss Eco North America), Germany (Miss Eco Europe), Mauritius (Miss Eco Africa), and Reunion Islands (Miss Eco Islands).

The three week long pageant saw the girls competing in the resort wear parade, talent presentation, fitness challenge, as well as in events like photo shoot sessions, tree planting activity,  colloquium on the UNDP's sustainable development goals, and the all-important preliminary round.

Thailand, Panama, Ecuador, Indonesia (Eco video winner), and Belgium made it to the Top 10 while Palestine, Bolivia, Canada, Reunion Islands, Belgium, Japan, Peru, India, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia, who automatically became part of the Top 20 as winner of the Best Eco Dress award, joined their Eco sisters in the semi-final round.

The Philippines won the Miss Eco International title in 2018 with Chynthia Tomalla. Since fhen, the country has consistently placed high in the finals, following Maureen Montagne's first runner-up finish in 2019, next to dethroned winner Miss Eco Peru. This year's winner was crowned by appointed winner, Miss Eco Int'l 2019 4th runner-up Aimee Nur Tinie of Malaysia.

Hosted by Miss Eco Egypt 2015 Nancy Mahdi, the pageant finals was streamed live via Miss Eco International's YouTube channel and its Facebook Live coverage.