Miss Earth bats for ‘Bantay Dagat’
MISAMIS Oriental has welcomed the newly-crowned Miss Earth Philippines (MEP) - Water, Berjayneth G. Chee on Monday.
The 18-year-old beauty queen and pride of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental had been an advocate in protecting the shorelines of her hometown, where the first marine culture park enriched with 233 cages for milk fish breading in Northern Mindanao nestled.
Having her first homecoming since the prestigious Miss Earth Philippines’ coronation last May 19, Chee then shared her upcoming projects at a press conference inside the Provincial Capitol Training Center.
Chee commits herself to strengthen the establishment of a group called ‘Bantay Dagat’ or Sea Guardians that would be carrying and enforcing policies for the preservation of the marine biodiversity not just in Misamis Oriental but to the whole Philippines, in order to continue and uplift a sustainable livelihood to the farming community may it be small or large scale.
“I would like to influence other people, other LGU, not just here in Misamis Oriental but rather the whole Philippines to have this group the Bantay Dagat. To have a sustainable Livelihood because a lot of our fishermen, may it be small scale or large scale have of course get their livelihood from the ocean and in that way we would be able to take care of our marine biodiversity,” Chee said.
Educating the people, especially the youth to become the guardians of the sea through the launching of environmental seminars and school tours also comes along Chee’s plan.
Along with four other reigning queens of MEP, they are expected to focus on Miss Earth Philippines Goes Plastic Free advocacy through the promotion of a life with the minimized use of plastic materials which primarily harms the marine life.
Meanwhile, Provincial Tourism Officer lawyer Jeffrey Saclot relayed Governor Bambi Emano’s declaration of appointing MEP-Water 2018 as Misamis Oriental’s Tourism Ambassadress in the company of reigning Miss Kuyamis, Monica Tan.
Having almost 500,000 visitors on the year’s first quarter, Misamis Oriental’s Provincial Tourism also looks
forward to have Chee as a come-on to the entry of more tourists in the region.
“The thing with this Miss Berjayneth Chee is that she would be able to travel around the Philippines so that alone is an opportunity for her to promote Misamis Oriental. So she has two responsibilities now, as an earth warrior and as the tourism ambassadress of Mis. Or. [where] she also [is entitled to] promote our province to the rest of the provinces in the Philippines,” said Saclot.
Having one of her dreams fulfilled, the young beauty queen then recalled her thoughts at the night of the coronation. She said, “At that moment I was thinking, with or without the crown as long as I would be able to uplift our tourism, especially our province of Mis. Or. that would be such a good gift for me and for me to bring to Mis. Or. because joining Miss Earth Philippines is not just for me but also for the people of Mis. Or.”
“We are so rich with more than just nature. We have nature, adventure and of course we have the heart of the people to serve others. And in that way, Miss Earth Philippines for me is like a platform in advocating what I really want of course in helping mother Earth,” Chee continued.#