SHE might not have bagged the country’s fifth Miss Earth crown, but Filipina beauty queen Irha Mel Alfeche remained “grateful” for finishing in the Top 12 of the Miss Earth 2024 competition.
On Facebook, Alfeche shared a clip where she donned her national costume called “Ang Kaanyag sa Kinaiyahan,” made by Exur Collections. It is a modern Filipiniana adorned with earthly-toned materials and textiles, serving as a reminder that people can “show appreciation and instill innovation” without compromising the environment.
“Grateful for the results, but my journey still continues,” said the 25-year-old beauty queen.
Alfeche, who hails from Matanao, Davao del Sur, was among the 76 candidates who competed for the highly-coveted Miss Earth 2024 title. In the end, it was Australia’s Jessica Lane who emerged victorious and succeeded Albania’s Drita Ziri.
Lane became Australia’s first Miss Earth titleholder. Her historic triumph also solidified Australia’s position as the new powerhouse in the pageantry world, winning in the “Big 4” pageants or the four major beauty competitions—Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth.
The Australian bet’s elemental court is composed of:
- Miss Earth-Air: Iceland’s Hrafnhildur Haraldsdóttir
- Miss Earth-Water: USA’s Bea Millan-Windorski
- Miss Earth-Fire: Peru’s Niva Antezana
In the 2023 edition, Philippine bet Yllana Marie Aduana was crowned Miss Earth-Air.
Home gardening advocate
Alfeche, who is also an educator and a military reservist, advocates for home gardening, which she believes will help Filipinos address hunger and malnutrition.
In her advocacy video for the Miss Earth 2024 pageant, Alfeche noted how factors like rapid population growth and poor infrastructure affect food distribution in rural and urban areas.
“If you take care of the Earth, it will take care of you,” she said. “Let us grow what we eat and eat what we grow while we still have the energy, access to resources, and time to heal for ourselves, others, and the planet.”
Alfeche won the Miss Earth Philippines crown in May, succeeding Aduana. Her winning answer highlighted the importance of educating the young generation about environmental conservation.
In July, the beauty queen underscored the importance of planting trees after Super Typhoon Carina battered several parts of the Philippines. Trees, she said, could protect the country from catastrophes like extreme heat, floods, and landslides.
