Recently crowned Miss Earth Australia 2021, Phoebe Seogiono is often mistaken as a Filipina.  The twenty three year old who was born and raised in Sydney, Australia is of Indonesian ethnicity; hence, she has the same beautiful features as some of our Filipina beauty queens.  She has also been brought of Christian faith and regularly attended church before the lockdown, and comes from a brood of five, with two older sisters and two younger brothers.

The other 'Filipino connection' is that she gives credit to being mentored by Queenssential which is a business that mentors and prepares ladies into winning beauty pageants.  It is comprised of Filipino brother and sister Gabe and Glyssa Perez.  Gabe is a motivational speaker and Glyssa was Miss Philippines Tourism 2019, and has had years of experience with beauty pageants.

"I am so blessed to have Gabe and Glyssa as my mentors as they have coached me both physically and mentally, to help endure the difficulties of this pageant."

Phoebe who has completed diploma of Public Relations at TAFE works as customer consultant for a luxury brand.

The Australian Filipina was able to catch up with Phoebe and we are glad to share her responses to a few questions to get an insight in her persona and her Miss Earth Australia participation.

*What inspired you to join Miss Earth Australia? 

I was inspired to join Miss Earth Australia because I wanted to experience the pageant industry. I am pursuing modelling so I figured that Miss Earth Australia would be a great challenge for me. This is the first beauty pageant that I have competed in, and I love what the organisation stands for; they advocate for the greater good of our Mother Earth.

My advocacy for Miss Earth is on sustainability in fashion, and how important it is for us to make more sustainable choices when buying garments of clothing. So much waste is being discarded and neglected by fast fashion companies, and society needs to be more aware with how much of an negative impact these clothes are putting on our environment. 

*Which part of your involvement in Miss Earth Australia did you enjoy the most?

I enjoyed making videos the most, especially my talent video (baking) because I was able to eat my creation after!

I really also enjoyed getting to know the other girls and their interests and passions surrounding the environment.

*What challenges or difficulties did you encounter in the pageant?

With the pageant being virtual, I was so blessed to have my family constantly being nearby to assist me with any issues.

One of the most difficult challenges were the technical issues involved with the pageant. It’s almost impossible not to have any issues when it comes to technology but I’m thankful that I had my family to help me. 

*What does holding the title MEA require you to do?

It requires me to uphold my duties as a Miss Earth Queen by completing the obligations and requirements to the satisfaction of Miss Earth Australia. To perform my duties to the highest standard, and to always have the ability to show passion, understanding, patience, empathy and intelligence.

I hope that with this journey that I am taking, that I will be able to inspire the younger generation into making a positive environmental difference to the area around them. This will not only be beneficial to our livelihood but to the livelihood of our future generations to come.

*What advice would you give others who wish to join beauty pageants but are hesitating?

Take the leap, give it a go. This pageant experience has allowed me to grow in my character, confidence and maturity. I have learnt so much about myself and what I'm capable of. You may love the pageant scene or you may not, but you will come out of it as a stronger person.

*What Filipino community initiatives or projects have you been involved in?

 The Miss Earth organisation is actually based in the Philippines, with their headquarters being in Manila. They have many connections with Philippine government agencies, so I’m blessed to be a part of an organisation that does good for our world.

My family, especially through my Auntie Cisca has been supporting initiatives by Adhika whose president, Josie Musa works with her in UTS.

*What is your definition of success?

 My definition of success is being able to inspire people in any way. I came into this pageant not only wanting to pursue modelling but to also inspire younger girls into pursuing their purpose. So if I can inspire at least one person then that is success to me.

Leave a Comment

Word Count: 0
 
 
 

 

 
Sponsors
 

Newsletter Signup