Bb. Pilipinas candidates discuss the environment in Fire Prevention Month

MANILA, Philippines—As the country observes Fire Prevention Month this March, Binibining Pilipinas candidates who were Miss Philippines Earth queens discussed the relationship between the environment and incidents of fire.

“The Philippines is a tropical country, so we have an even greater challenge in trying to mitigate fires, or trying to prevent fires, especially with the rising temperatures of our atmosphere,” Sofia Lopez Galve from the province of Rizal told the Inquirer during the candidates’ visit to the Art in Island multi-media museum in Quezon City on Feb. 28.

“It’s very important that we prevent fires in our households because these fires, especially wildfires in the forests, these are killing marine habitats, marine biodiversity, because of the silts and the fumes that are coming from these wildfires,” continued Galve, who was crowned Miss Philippines Ecotourism in a virtual competition in 2021.

Gianna Llanes from Palayan City said that when she was crowned Miss Philippines Water in an online contest in 2020, she advocated natural disaster risk education. “At that time, I was living in Mandaluyong City, which is known as one of the cities where homes are destroyed because of fires. And that was the main reason why I chose [it] as my advocacy,” she explained.

“Things like these happen, they’re natural phenomena. But the damage that it causes is because of human action. That’s why it’s really important to keep each other aware on how we can really save our environment through small ways in our homes, and generate that conversation with friends and family on the little actions that we can do to decrease the damage,” Llanes continued.

For 2016 Miss Philippines Air Kiaragiel Gregorio from Cabanatuan, incidents of fire give more reason to take a more holistic approach in campaigning for the environment. “Disasters such as wildfires are occurring because of climate change, it all boils down to climate change. It is because of human action,” she said.

“I think here in the Philippines, we can do more action not just in trying to prevent the damage of climate change, but also on how we can protect ourselves from incidents such as wildfires or fires in general, by creating a better awareness on how we can address and what we can do in times of emergency,” Gregorio continued.

The three “Earth warriors” are competing in a field of 40 aspirants for this year’s Bb. Pilipinas pageant. The coronation show will be staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at the Araneta City in Quezon City, tentatively scheduled for May. The organization has not disclosed yet how many crowns will be awarded in this year’s competition.  /ra

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