Yllana Marie Aduana is Miss Philippines Earth 2023

Yllana Marie Aduana has been hailed as Miss Philippines Earth 2023 after besting 28 other candidates from all over the country.

Aduana won the coveted title at the pageant's coronation night held on Saturday, April 29, in Toledo City Sports Center in Toledo, Cebu. 

The beauty queen, who represents Siniloan, Laguna, was crowned by Miss Philippines Earth 2022 Jenny Ramp.

During the pageant's Q&A portion, Aduana and the rest of the top 5 were asked one question by host Robi Domingo: "What do you think people in the future would say about your generation?"

The 24-year-old beauty queen's winning answer focused on her generation's strong passion to speak up for what is right in relation to her own goal to promote United Nations' 17 sustainable development goals to transform the world.

Aduana explained, "I would definitely say that our generation, although misconstrued as very ardent, always use our voice for a reason and that we always speak up for the things we know are right and for the things we know we deserve that is why we are very ardent about it."

"And that is why I'm conducting curriculum on the 17th development goals that are connected to the future in the hopes to precipitate eco-consciousness," she continued. "Because our future is the line-backers of our years of environmental amelioration and we should take advantage of it at all costs."

This year's Miss Earth Philippines pageant marks the second time Aduana vied for the coveted crown. The first was in 2021 when she said she wanted to "step up" knowing she can promote "care for the environment and care for the people at a time when it is becoming beyond reach."

Her participation in the 2023 pageant, she said,  is grounded on the same reason but "with the strength and mission [of] education."

Aduana is a graduate of Centro Escolar University and has been working as a licensed medical laboratory scientist and model.

She founded the non-profit organization Edukasyon for Every Juan, which "promotes inclusive quality education" to children and students by providing them with free resource materials and activities.