Miss Earth Philippines representative Yllana Aduana brought the magnificent tale of “Maria Makiling," a guardian spirit and protector of Mount Makiling in the province of Laguna, to life at the preliminary rounds of Miss Earth 2023.
Aduana, a licensed pharmacist from Siniloan town, bagged the Miss Earth Philippines crown on her second attempt.
Designed by Patrick Isorena, Aduana wore an intricately designed golden headpiece and bodysuit with a flowy white trail. On top of it, she wore a mountain-shaped skirt accentuated with the diverse flora found on Mount Makiling. She characterized the inner goddess she had within.
According to reports, Aduana’s national costume was made with repurposed materials.
"Maria Makiling" is a "diwata" in Philippine folklore, one of the most widely-known and venerated personages of ancient Philippine mythology.
According to local folklore, Maria Makiling is the guardian spirit of Mount Makiling, Laguna's most prominent mountain situated in the town of Los Baños. She lives on top of the mountain, and is considered a benefactress for the townspeople who regard her as the custodian of its rich natural resources.
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In the pre-pageant activities, Aduana is among the Top 8 Best Bikinis, along with Thailand’s representative, for the Asia and Oceania continental group, where she wore a red-orange two-piece swimsuit embellished with crystals, made by Ken Batino and Jevin Salaysay.
According to the Miss Earth official Facebook page, she also placed second for Miss People’s Choice, where the list was led by Miss Paraguay, along with the US Virgin Islands, Belgium, Venezuela, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, France, and South Sudan, as of December 18.
The grand coronation night will take place on December 22 in Van Phuc City, Vietnam, where the crown will be passed from the current Miss Earth, Mina Sue Choi from Korea.
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