Karla Paula Henry
Encyclopedia
Karla Paula Ginteroy Henry (born May 23, 1986 in Limay
, Bataan
, Philippines) is a Filipino-Canadian beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss Earth 2008
, becoming the first Philippine representative and the first in the Asian region to win that title.
, Bicol
for a year before residing permanently in Cebu
.
Henry's father traveled often, and she transferred schools often. She graduated high school from Camp Lapulapu National High School, and attended college at the University of Cebu
. She holds a bachelor's degree in Tourism and was working with Marco Polo Plaza Hotel when she was invited to join the Miss Earth pageant. She speaks Spanish with a degree of fluency.
Henry's beauty pageant career began as a student representative her school for Miss Intramurals and Miss Milo Olympics. She joined her first professional beauty contest at age 17 in October 2003. In 2006, she was the second runner-up in the Miss Cebu
pageant.
At 22 years of age, statuesque beauty Karla Henry learned that in life, you have to follow what you want; and never should you let other people tell you otherwise. “Because if I did, then I wouldn’t have joined Miss Philippines after Binibining Pilipinas,” she smiles sheepishly. Yet even after failing to bring home the crown at the latter pageant, Karla did her best to clinch the top title in the Miss Philippines. Henry again competed at the Miss Philippines Earth
pageant representing Cebu City
. She made it to the initial cut of ten semi-finalists and competed in the traditional swimsuit, interview, and evening gown competitions. She advanced to the top six in the final question and answer round. At the conclusion of the pageant, she was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2008
by the outgoing titleholder Jeanne Angeles Harn
. She went on to compete in the Miss Earth pageant and was eventually crowned Miss Earth 2008 after besting 84 other candidates from around the world. “I told myself that if I like joining pageants, I want to reach the ultimate goal which is to represent my country. So I worked very hard for it. I joined many pageants for more experience and I also trained on the side. But of course, I did not forget to have fun,” says Karla, the first Filipina to win the title.
Growing up with her dad and considering him as the biggest influence in her life, Karla reveals that never in her wildest dreams did she think she would become a beauty queen. She looks back and shares, “When my parents separated when I was 13, I stayed with my father. So I grew up with basketball and baseball. I am not so much of a girly girl.” It was in fourth year high school that her P.E. teacher asked her to represent the school in a pageant. “I asked my teacher what’s in it for me if I would join the contest. He said that I would be exempted from CAT and during that time, CAT wasn’t very fun for me.” And so she agreed to join and never looked back.
Nine years ago, she moved to the Philippines from Canada. It wasn’t easy for this lovely lady but she acknowledges that life has been very kind to her. Before joining pageants, she had a 9-to-5 job as an hotelier in Cebu. She then moved to Manila to participate in beauty contests.
In the final competition of the eighth edition of the international beauty pageant Miss Earth, which was held at Clark Expo in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines on November 9, 2008, Henry was announced as one of sixteen semi-finalists who would move forward to compete for the title. She achieved one of the eight highest scores in the swimsuit competition for her stage chops, which advanced her as one of the top eight finalists to participate in the evening gown competition. She strutted a yellow-green evening gown with a high middle slit laden with rainbow-colored beads and sequins along the bodice. She then pulled away for the lead as she articulated in her video interview about going around public schools teaching about the environment as she cited that lack of knowledge about environmental concerns is a key issue in her country, in which she advanced to the top four.
In the last round, the court of four were asked one question, “What would you tell US president-elect Barack Obama
about the state of the global environment if ever you were to meet him?” She used the shopworn cliché “I believe the children are our future” but gave a fresh new context to that line that added to her advantage when she answered, “Environmental knowledge is something that all of us must share, but most importantly we must teach the youth that this is something that we should instill in them so that in the near future they will be the ones to take care of our mother Earth.” She placed the highest score in the interview round and at the conclusion of the competition, she was crowned Miss Earth.
It was the first time in Miss Earth history that the representative of the host nation won the title. Likewise, it's the second time in a row that a Filipino and half-Canadian held the title of Miss Earth
following 2007 winner
Jessica Trisko
of Canada. Coincidentally, one of the hosts during the Miss Earth 2008 coronation night Riza Santos
, who represented Canada in the Miss Earth 2006
, has a Filipino-Canadian heritage, but unlike Trisko and Henry, she failed to enter the semifinal round during her time.
She also won five special major and minor awards: Miss Earth Designers Award, Miss Photogenic, Eagle Express Award, Miss Fontana, Pasigandahan Awards (for Manila).
Henry's closest friend among the Miss Earth 2008 top four runner-up winners—named after the four elements—is her pageant roommate Miriam Odemba
, Miss Earth-Air from Tanzania. She plans to visit Odemba’s homeland and to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
.
The first two weeks after winning Miss Earth was “pretty intense,” Karla describes. Together with the runners-up, Karla went around public schools to teach elementary pupils in public schools about environmental awareness. She promoted the “Green Thumbs Up” project, which enumerates 10 simple acts that these kids can practice at home. She also amazingly let her hair down during a coastal cleanup in Manila Bay. “That was one of the most memorable projects I did. People were quite surprised that we actually went to the beach and helped with the cleanup,” says Karla, who admits that spreading environmental awareness is not an easy task “because people are skeptical that when they go green, it’s expensive and more of a hassle for them.”
“Being crowned Miss Earth changed my life in a way that I became aware that preserving and conserving the environment is something to be really serious about. A lot of people think that we joined this just for the glitz and glamour of it all and that we don’t really come up with anything to help the environment,” explains Karla. “But because Miss Earth is focused on its cause, we really do get involved in a lot of activities with DENR and private corporations. Miss Earth has helped me become more aware of how my little actions can affect our environment.”
Having realized that caring for the environment is a daunting duty, this down-to-earth beauty is bent on doing her best to save Plant Earth. “I can say that I felt more complete as a woman now,” she concludes
On November 12, 2008, Henry led her court, Miss Earth Air Miriam Odemba of Tanzania, Miss Earth Water Abigail Elizalde
of Mexico, and Miss Earth Fire Tatiane Alves
of Brazil in the tree planting along with Philippine postal officials and employees for the “Nationwide Simultaneous Tree Planting” ceremony held at the Luneta Park
, in connection with the 110th anniversary of the Philippine Postal Service
to support the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
and Non-governmental organizations that are in the forefront of the Clean and Green Movements. The project was institutionalized, in the presence of Henry and her court, as an annual event in conjunction to the Zero Waste Management program.
On November 20, 2008, Henry, along with Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko, graced one of the projects of the Philippine Department of Tourism
called "Rediscovering the Best of Metropolitan Manila, People, Places, Products and Practices", a product and photo exhibit first presented in the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia
in Pasay City
on a three-day exhibit, which aimed to promote awareness, especially among the youth on the Philippine National Capital Region
's heritage. Aside from Henry and Trisko, the event was also participated by the 17 cities and municipalities that make up Metropolitan Manila. Apart from the clean-up drives that the Miss Earth beauties regularly hold, they also visit elementary schools to educate the children on recycling
, waste segregation
and other environmentally sustainable practices.
On December 4, 2008, Henry attended an environmental press conference and activities to heed its call for a “Toxics-Free Christmas: Our Gift to the World” as part of the ongoing effort of Miss Earth Foundation
, in partnership with the Eco Waste Coalition, to inform consumers about the risks and dangers of exposure to hazardous chemicals to public health
and the environment, and empower the public to make sound decisions on what practices, products, and services to choose. Accompanying Henry at the press conference were Andrea Leon, Miss Ecuador 2008
; Marie Razel Eguia
, Miss Philippines-Air 2008; Marian Michelle Oblea
, Miss Philippines-Water 2008; Kristelle Lazaro, Miss Philippines-Fire 2008; and Catherine Untalan
, Executive Director, Miss Earth Foundation. Henry and Untalan sat in the panel of green advocates, who took turns in discussing ecological alternatives to some toxic practices that people often take for granted during the holidays. Henry also shared tips on “decorating green” with eco-friendly
Christmas ornament
s such as the traditional belen
and parol
from used or locally-sourced biodegradable
materials to bring home the true message of Christmas — a baby born in a lowly manger in swaddling clothes.
On January 18, 2009, Henry was the lead dancer in the grand finale of the Sinulog Festival
, an annual festival
held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City
. She was tapped to take the place of Cebu City First Lady Margot Osmeña in the grand finale of the festival.
On February 22, 2009, Henry and her court joined employees of Bacman Geothermal Production Field in tree planting activities in Sorsogon
and participated in the launching of wildlife conservation
program and inspected some environmental projects such as the butterfly garden
, nursery of endemic trees, and mangrove
plantation.
On March 17, 2009, Henry traveled to Miami, Florida to attend the 1st annual Green Fashion Show hosted by former Vice President of the United States
Al Gore
. Designers from Latin America
, Europe, the United States, and Caribbean
presented garments made exclusively from eco-friendly and recycled materials. The event was also attended by Gloria Estefan
, Miss Earth United States 2008 Jana Murrell
, and Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko and was covered by CBS
, NBC
, Telemundo
and Mega TV
.
On March 21, 2009, Henry attended the press conference for the Grand March versus Illegal Drugs, which was held along Roxas Boulevard
, Philippines. Philippine President
, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
led the march which started from the Cultural Center of the Philippines
proceeding to Rajah Sulayman Park and furthering to the Quirino Grandstand to complete the 2.5 km. trek. The event was recorded in the Guinness World Records
as the largest march against illegal drugs participated by approximately 500, 000 people.
As of August 2009, Henry as Miss Earth has travelled to Vietnam, Singapore, Spain, USA, Guam
, Turks and Caicos, and her home in the Philippines.
communities abroad. On the pageant night, contestants were asked how they would explain the degradation
of nature to simple folk. Henry gave the winning answer: “I will educate them by giving them an example; through my example I will give nature the best of me.” The pageant was held at the Crowne Plaza
Galleria
in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
.
In a press conference, she recalled how the pageant awakened her passion: “When I joined Miss Philippines, there was a very funny story about the first day I saw the other girls, the contract-signing day with Carousel Productions
, the pageant organizer. Miss Untalan (Miss Earth Foundation executive director) warned me, ‘If you’re here for the fame and glamour of being a beauty queen, then you’re in the wrong pageant. Here, we’re really serious about our advocacy. We really do get down and dirty with the activities that we do.’ I said, these guys are really serious. I should really join this. I pursued it and I have no regrets.”
As Miss Philippines, Henry has utilized her reign in promoting environmental awareness, working with Miss Earth Foundation through its project I Love My Planet Earth School Tour. Henry, along with her court has visited more than 20 schools and communities, teaching kids about the environment, through games, singing songs, storytelling, and even demonstrating how easy it is to plant trees.
Apart from the outreach projects, she travelled in June 2008 to Europe and participated in the opening of Expo Zaragoza 2008
, an international exposition held from June 14 – September 14, 2008 coordinated by the Bureau of International Expositions
held in Zaragoza
, Spain, with the topic of Water and Sustainable Development. The event took place in the meander
of the river Ebro
. She also promoted the vast and natural beauty of the Philippines.
On July 18, 2008, she served as one of the quizmaster
s of a history quizbee for high school students with disabilities as part of the activities of the 30th Philippine National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, a project under the office of the President of the Philippines
, which aimed on promoting greater access of disabled individuals to mainstream social activities.
In early September 2008, Henry, Miss Singapore 2008 Ivy Leow Kian Peng, and Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko travelled to Singapore and to Ho Chi Minh City
in Vietnam. They visited the Miss Áo Dài Center and met with media correspondents at a press conference at the New World Hotel. She also visited the Can Gio Mangrove Forest
, listed as a biosphere reserve
by UNESCO
and an important wildlife sanctuary in Vietnam as it is characterized by a wetland
biosystem dominated by mangrove
and many rare species; she took part in the environmental activities as green ambassador and keynote speaker. Along with the other Miss Earth beauties, they also presented mid-autumn gifts to orphans, and participated in the activities of the International Tourism Exhibition 2008, where they met and interacted with the Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
On September 20, 2008, Henry and Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko headed thousands of volunteers in a full day of filth-picking, sorting, and depositing in the coast
al cleanup in San Dionisio bay, Parañaque City
. It was an annual event in tandem with the International Coastal Cleanup Day, the world’s largest volunteer event started by Ocean Conservancy
, which aims to bring together people from all nations to gather and clean their shores once a year.
On August 2011 she was stabbed by a suspected drunk man with a broken beer bottle.
Limay, Bataan
Limay is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 54,782 people in 9,490 households.-Barangays:Limay is politically subdivided into 12 barangays.* Alangan* Kitang I...
, Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
, Philippines) is a Filipino-Canadian beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss Earth 2008
Miss Earth 2008
Miss Earth 2008, the 8th edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant, was held on November 9, 2008 at the Clark Expo Amphitheater in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. Eighty-five delegates arrived from October 19, 2008 in the Philippines...
, becoming the first Philippine representative and the first in the Asian region to win that title.
Early life
Henry was raised by her grandparents until the age of four. Her family moved then to Tsawwassen, Canada, where they would live for ten years. She visited the Philippines frequently, for Christmas and summer vacations. Upon her family’s return to the Philippines, they first lived in AlbayAlbay
Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province borders Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagonoy Gulf....
, Bicol
Bicol Region
The Bicol Region or Bicolandia is one of the 17 regions of the Philippines. Its regional center is Legazpi City...
for a year before residing permanently in Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
.
Henry's father traveled often, and she transferred schools often. She graduated high school from Camp Lapulapu National High School, and attended college at the University of Cebu
University of Cebu
' is an educational institution located at Cebu City, Philippines. It was founded in 1964. As an institution of higher learning, the university is committed to an authentic education founded on the principles of humanity, nationalism and academic excellence....
. She holds a bachelor's degree in Tourism and was working with Marco Polo Plaza Hotel when she was invited to join the Miss Earth pageant. She speaks Spanish with a degree of fluency.
Henry's beauty pageant career began as a student representative her school for Miss Intramurals and Miss Milo Olympics. She joined her first professional beauty contest at age 17 in October 2003. In 2006, she was the second runner-up in the Miss Cebu
Miss Cebu
Miss Cebu is the oldest running beauty pageant in Cebu, Philippines. It is held annually during the Sinulog Festival in January in Cebu City and is run by the city government and city tourism office. This year is the 27th edition of the said pageant....
pageant.
At 22 years of age, statuesque beauty Karla Henry learned that in life, you have to follow what you want; and never should you let other people tell you otherwise. “Because if I did, then I wouldn’t have joined Miss Philippines after Binibining Pilipinas,” she smiles sheepishly. Yet even after failing to bring home the crown at the latter pageant, Karla did her best to clinch the top title in the Miss Philippines. Henry again competed at the Miss Philippines Earth
Miss Philippines Earth
The Miss Philippines Earth, originally called "Miss Philippines" in its early years, is a beauty pageant held annually in search of the most beautiful and environmental-friendly woman in the Philippines...
pageant representing Cebu City
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
. She made it to the initial cut of ten semi-finalists and competed in the traditional swimsuit, interview, and evening gown competitions. She advanced to the top six in the final question and answer round. At the conclusion of the pageant, she was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2008
Miss Philippines Earth 2008
Miss Philippines Earth 2008, the 8th edition of Miss Philippines Earth pageant, was held last May 11, 2008 at Crowne Plaza Galleria, Ortigas Center, Manila, Philippines. The event was broadcast by ABS CBN Network in the Philippines at 10 'o clock in the evening and The Filipino Channel...
by the outgoing titleholder Jeanne Angeles Harn
Jeanne Angeles Harn
Jeanne Angeles Harn is a Filipina fashion and ramp model, environmentalist, and beauty queen. She competed and won the national beauty pageant Miss Philippines Earth 2007...
. She went on to compete in the Miss Earth pageant and was eventually crowned Miss Earth 2008 after besting 84 other candidates from around the world. “I told myself that if I like joining pageants, I want to reach the ultimate goal which is to represent my country. So I worked very hard for it. I joined many pageants for more experience and I also trained on the side. But of course, I did not forget to have fun,” says Karla, the first Filipina to win the title.
Growing up with her dad and considering him as the biggest influence in her life, Karla reveals that never in her wildest dreams did she think she would become a beauty queen. She looks back and shares, “When my parents separated when I was 13, I stayed with my father. So I grew up with basketball and baseball. I am not so much of a girly girl.” It was in fourth year high school that her P.E. teacher asked her to represent the school in a pageant. “I asked my teacher what’s in it for me if I would join the contest. He said that I would be exempted from CAT and during that time, CAT wasn’t very fun for me.” And so she agreed to join and never looked back.
Nine years ago, she moved to the Philippines from Canada. It wasn’t easy for this lovely lady but she acknowledges that life has been very kind to her. Before joining pageants, she had a 9-to-5 job as an hotelier in Cebu. She then moved to Manila to participate in beauty contests.
Miss Earth 2008
In the last round, the court of four were asked one question, “What would you tell US president-elect Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
about the state of the global environment if ever you were to meet him?” She used the shopworn cliché “I believe the children are our future” but gave a fresh new context to that line that added to her advantage when she answered, “Environmental knowledge is something that all of us must share, but most importantly we must teach the youth that this is something that we should instill in them so that in the near future they will be the ones to take care of our mother Earth.” She placed the highest score in the interview round and at the conclusion of the competition, she was crowned Miss Earth.
It was the first time in Miss Earth history that the representative of the host nation won the title. Likewise, it's the second time in a row that a Filipino and half-Canadian held the title of Miss Earth
Miss Earth
Miss Earth is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. Miss Earth is also one of the most publicized beauty contests in the world....
following 2007 winner
Miss Earth 2007
Miss Earth 2007, the seventh Miss Earth beauty pageant, was held on November 11, 2007 at the UP Theater in Quezon City, Philippines. The delegates also visited Nha Trang, Vietnam. 88 delegates competed for the title, making 2007 the largest edition of delegates for Miss Earth. The pageant was...
Jessica Trisko
Jessica Trisko
Jessica Nicole Trisko is an academic, activist, and model from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She currently resides in Montreal, Canada.Trisko's father is of Ukrainian-Russian heritage, and her mother is Filipino...
of Canada. Coincidentally, one of the hosts during the Miss Earth 2008 coronation night Riza Santos
Riza Santos
Riza Santos is a Canadian television personality and beauty queen of Filipino, Spanish, and Chinese ancestry. She competed and won Miss Earth Canada 2006 and Miss World Canada 2011 and will represent Canada in Miss World 2011 on November 6 in London. She competed in the Miss Earth 2006 pageant, in...
, who represented Canada in the Miss Earth 2006
Miss Earth 2006
Miss Earth 2006, the 6th edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant, took place on November 26, 2006 in the grounds of the National Museum in Manila, Philippines. The pageant was won by Hil Hernández of Chile....
, has a Filipino-Canadian heritage, but unlike Trisko and Henry, she failed to enter the semifinal round during her time.
She also won five special major and minor awards: Miss Earth Designers Award, Miss Photogenic, Eagle Express Award, Miss Fontana, Pasigandahan Awards (for Manila).
Henry's closest friend among the Miss Earth 2008 top four runner-up winners—named after the four elements—is her pageant roommate Miriam Odemba
Miriam Odemba
Miriam Odemba is Miss Tanzania Earth 2008 and Miss Earth Air 2008 . Odemba is a Tanzanian model. She is one of the best models from her country where she started her modeling career at an early age and emerged into the limelight in 1997 when she won the Miss Temeke title...
, Miss Earth-Air from Tanzania. She plans to visit Odemba’s homeland and to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
.
The first two weeks after winning Miss Earth was “pretty intense,” Karla describes. Together with the runners-up, Karla went around public schools to teach elementary pupils in public schools about environmental awareness. She promoted the “Green Thumbs Up” project, which enumerates 10 simple acts that these kids can practice at home. She also amazingly let her hair down during a coastal cleanup in Manila Bay. “That was one of the most memorable projects I did. People were quite surprised that we actually went to the beach and helped with the cleanup,” says Karla, who admits that spreading environmental awareness is not an easy task “because people are skeptical that when they go green, it’s expensive and more of a hassle for them.”
“Being crowned Miss Earth changed my life in a way that I became aware that preserving and conserving the environment is something to be really serious about. A lot of people think that we joined this just for the glitz and glamour of it all and that we don’t really come up with anything to help the environment,” explains Karla. “But because Miss Earth is focused on its cause, we really do get involved in a lot of activities with DENR and private corporations. Miss Earth has helped me become more aware of how my little actions can affect our environment.”
Having realized that caring for the environment is a daunting duty, this down-to-earth beauty is bent on doing her best to save Plant Earth. “I can say that I felt more complete as a woman now,” she concludes
A year in the life as Miss Earth
Abigail Elizalde
Abigail Elizalde Romo is the 2008 Miss Earth Mexico titleholder and was the second runner-up or Miss Water in the 2008 Miss Earth competition. She was born in , Torreón, Mexico.-Early life:...
of Mexico, and Miss Earth Fire Tatiane Alves
Tatiane Alves
Tatiane Alves is a model, an accounting consultant, and a beauty queen, who represented Brazil in the eighth edition of the Miss Earth beauty pageant...
of Brazil in the tree planting along with Philippine postal officials and employees for the “Nationwide Simultaneous Tree Planting” ceremony held at the Luneta Park
Rizal Park
Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park or colloquially Luneta, is a historical urban park located in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines, adjacent to the old walled city of Manila, now Intramuros. Since the Spanish Colonial Era, the park has been a favorite spot for unwinding, socializing,...
, in connection with the 110th anniversary of the Philippine Postal Service
Philippine Postal Corporation
The Philippine Postal Corporation, , abbreviated as PhilPost, is a government-owned and controlled corporation responsible for providing postal services in the Philippines. The Philippine Postal Corporation has an estimated 13,800 employees and runs more than 2,000 post offices nationwide...
to support the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Philippines)
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, development, utilization, and conservation of the country's natural resources.-History:The Department of Environment and Natural...
and Non-governmental organizations that are in the forefront of the Clean and Green Movements. The project was institutionalized, in the presence of Henry and her court, as an annual event in conjunction to the Zero Waste Management program.
On November 20, 2008, Henry, along with Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko, graced one of the projects of the Philippine Department of Tourism
Department of Tourism (Philippines)
The Department of Tourism is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the regulation of the Philippine tourism industry and the promotion of the Philippines as a tourist destination....
called "Rediscovering the Best of Metropolitan Manila, People, Places, Products and Practices", a product and photo exhibit first presented in the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia
SM Mall of Asia
SM Mall of Asia is a shopping mall owned and developed by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall developer and owner in the Philippines. SM Mall of Asia is the 2nd largest mall in the Philippines after SM City North EDSA, 3rd largest shopping mall in Asia and the 4th largest shopping mall in the world...
in Pasay City
Pasay City
The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
on a three-day exhibit, which aimed to promote awareness, especially among the youth on the Philippine National Capital Region
Capital region
A capital region, also called a national capital region, capital district or capital territory is a common term for the region or district surrounding the capital city of a country or any other administrative division...
's heritage. Aside from Henry and Trisko, the event was also participated by the 17 cities and municipalities that make up Metropolitan Manila. Apart from the clean-up drives that the Miss Earth beauties regularly hold, they also visit elementary schools to educate the children on recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, waste segregation
Waste sorting
Waste sorting is the process by which waste is separated into different elements. Waste sorting can occur manually at the household and collected through curbside collection schemes, or automatically separated in materials recovery facilities or mechanical biological treatment systems.Waste can...
and other environmentally sustainable practices.
On December 4, 2008, Henry attended an environmental press conference and activities to heed its call for a “Toxics-Free Christmas: Our Gift to the World” as part of the ongoing effort of Miss Earth Foundation
Miss Earth Foundation
Miss Earth Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization, which serves as the environmental-social-humanitarian outreach arm of Miss Earth beauty pageant. It was established to institutionalize the environmental mission of Miss Earth...
, in partnership with the Eco Waste Coalition, to inform consumers about the risks and dangers of exposure to hazardous chemicals to public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and the environment, and empower the public to make sound decisions on what practices, products, and services to choose. Accompanying Henry at the press conference were Andrea Leon, Miss Ecuador 2008
Miss Earth 2008
Miss Earth 2008, the 8th edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant, was held on November 9, 2008 at the Clark Expo Amphitheater in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. Eighty-five delegates arrived from October 19, 2008 in the Philippines...
; Marie Razel Eguia
Marie Razel Eguia
Marie Razel Eguia is a beauty queen from the Philippines. She represented the City of Dipolog at Miss Philippines Earth 2008 and she was named Miss Philippines Air 2008 at 11 May 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Galleria...
, Miss Philippines-Air 2008; Marian Michelle Oblea
Marian Michelle Oblea
Marian Michelle Oblea was crowned Miss Philippines Earth Water 2008 last May 11, 2008 at Crowne Plaza Galleria. She also won two of the special awards; Best in Talent and Best in Long Gown Competitions. She was crowned by last year winner Joyce Nocomura....
, Miss Philippines-Water 2008; Kristelle Lazaro, Miss Philippines-Fire 2008; and Catherine Untalan
Catherine Untalan
Catherine Yu Untalan is an environmentalist, fashion model, psychologist, and beauty queen from the Philippines. She competed and won the beauty title of Miss Philippines-Earth 2006 and the international Miss Earth Water 2006...
, Executive Director, Miss Earth Foundation. Henry and Untalan sat in the panel of green advocates, who took turns in discussing ecological alternatives to some toxic practices that people often take for granted during the holidays. Henry also shared tips on “decorating green” with eco-friendly
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
Christmas ornament
Christmas ornament
Christmas ornaments are decorations that are used to festoon a Christmas tree.Ornaments take many different forms, from a simple round ball to highly artistic designs...
s such as the traditional belen
Nativity scene
A nativity scene, manger scene, krippe, crèche, or crib, is a depiction of the birth of Jesus as described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke...
and parol
Parol
Parols are ornamental star-like Christmas lanterns from the Philippines. They are traditionally made out of bamboo and paper and come in various sizes, shapes and designs; however, their star-shape façade and basic design remain dominant....
from used or locally-sourced biodegradable
Biodegradation
Biodegradation or biotic degradation or biotic decomposition is the chemical dissolution of materials by bacteria or other biological means...
materials to bring home the true message of Christmas — a baby born in a lowly manger in swaddling clothes.
On January 18, 2009, Henry was the lead dancer in the grand finale of the Sinulog Festival
Sinulog festival
The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival commemorates the Cebuano people's pagan origin, and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism....
, an annual festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
. She was tapped to take the place of Cebu City First Lady Margot Osmeña in the grand finale of the festival.
On February 22, 2009, Henry and her court joined employees of Bacman Geothermal Production Field in tree planting activities in Sorsogon
Sorsogon
Sorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region; it is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City and borders the province of Albay to the north...
and participated in the launching of wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
program and inspected some environmental projects such as the butterfly garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden is a life simulation game by independent developer Autonomous Productions, revolving around the raising and collecting of butterflies. Initially for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, the developers have promised there will be a PC version and WiiWare version...
, nursery of endemic trees, and mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
plantation.
On March 17, 2009, Henry traveled to Miami, Florida to attend the 1st annual Green Fashion Show hosted by former Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
. Designers from Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, Europe, the United States, and Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
presented garments made exclusively from eco-friendly and recycled materials. The event was also attended by Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
, Miss Earth United States 2008 Jana Murrell
Jana Murrell
Jana Murrell is the former morning traffic reporter for television station KETV 7 in Omaha, Nebraska and former beauty queen who has competed in the Miss USA pageant and in the international Miss Earth 2008 beauty pageant.-Biography:...
, and Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko and was covered by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
and Mega TV
WSBS-TV
WSBS-TV is a Spanish-language television station in Key West, Florida, broadcasting to the lower Florida Keys on VHF channel 3 as an Mega TV flagship station. The station also operates a repeater in Miami, WSBS-CD channel 50, and has been available nationally on DirecTV since October 17, 2007 and...
.
On March 21, 2009, Henry attended the press conference for the Grand March versus Illegal Drugs, which was held along Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard is a boulevard in Metro Manila, and an eight-lane arterial road that connects the center of Manila with Pasay City, Parañaque City. It is one of the major arteries in the city's metropolitan network, designated as Radial Road 1...
, Philippines. Philippine President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
led the march which started from the Cultural Center of the Philippines
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
proceeding to Rajah Sulayman Park and furthering to the Quirino Grandstand to complete the 2.5 km. trek. The event was recorded in the Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the largest march against illegal drugs participated by approximately 500, 000 people.
As of August 2009, Henry as Miss Earth has travelled to Vietnam, Singapore, Spain, USA, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Turks and Caicos, and her home in the Philippines.
Miss Philippines Earth
Henry was chosen Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 on May 11, 2008, besting 40 contestants from all over the Philippines and FilipinoFilipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
communities abroad. On the pageant night, contestants were asked how they would explain the degradation
Environmental degradation
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife...
of nature to simple folk. Henry gave the winning answer: “I will educate them by giving them an example; through my example I will give nature the best of me.” The pageant was held at the Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza is a chain of full service, upscale hotels catering to business travelers and to the meetings and conventions market. It forms part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands, which include InterContinental and Holiday Inn and operates in 52 countries, usually located in...
Galleria
Galleria
Galleria , or The Galleria, is a common name for a shopping mall, ultimately deriving from the 19th-century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan.- Australia :*Centro Galleria - Morley, Western Australia...
in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Mandaluyong City
The City of Mandaluyong is one of the cities and municipalities that comprise Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the west by the country's capital, Manila, to the north by San Juan City, to the east by Quezon City and Pasig City, and by Makati City to the south...
.
In a press conference, she recalled how the pageant awakened her passion: “When I joined Miss Philippines, there was a very funny story about the first day I saw the other girls, the contract-signing day with Carousel Productions
Carousel Productions
Carousel Productions Inc. is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Earth and Miss Philippines Earth beauty contests. The annual events are produced in partnership with ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. The organization is based in the Philippines.-History:Carousel Productions...
, the pageant organizer. Miss Untalan (Miss Earth Foundation executive director) warned me, ‘If you’re here for the fame and glamour of being a beauty queen, then you’re in the wrong pageant. Here, we’re really serious about our advocacy. We really do get down and dirty with the activities that we do.’ I said, these guys are really serious. I should really join this. I pursued it and I have no regrets.”
As Miss Philippines, Henry has utilized her reign in promoting environmental awareness, working with Miss Earth Foundation through its project I Love My Planet Earth School Tour. Henry, along with her court has visited more than 20 schools and communities, teaching kids about the environment, through games, singing songs, storytelling, and even demonstrating how easy it is to plant trees.
Apart from the outreach projects, she travelled in June 2008 to Europe and participated in the opening of Expo Zaragoza 2008
Expo 2008
Expo 2008 was an international exposition held from Saturday, 14 June to Sunday, 14 September 2008 in Zaragoza, Spain, with the theme of "Water and Sustainable Development". The exposition was placed in a meander of the river Ebro...
, an international exposition held from June 14 – September 14, 2008 coordinated by the Bureau of International Expositions
Bureau of International Expositions
The International Exhibitions Bureau is an intergovernmental organization created to supervise international exhibitions falling under the jurisdiction of the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions....
held in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain, with the topic of Water and Sustainable Development. The event took place in the meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
of the river Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
. She also promoted the vast and natural beauty of the Philippines.
On July 18, 2008, she served as one of the quizmaster
Quizmaster
Quizmaster can refer to:*Australian game shows:**Quizmaster - a 2002 game show produced by the Seven Network**Temptation Quizmaster - the 2006 series on Nine Network's Temptation...
s of a history quizbee for high school students with disabilities as part of the activities of the 30th Philippine National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, a project under the office of the President of the Philippines
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
, which aimed on promoting greater access of disabled individuals to mainstream social activities.
In early September 2008, Henry, Miss Singapore 2008 Ivy Leow Kian Peng, and Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko travelled to Singapore and to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
in Vietnam. They visited the Miss Áo Dài Center and met with media correspondents at a press conference at the New World Hotel. She also visited the Can Gio Mangrove Forest
Can Gio Mangrove Forest
Can Gio Biosphere Reserve is a wetland located 40 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. This reserve has been listed the biosphere reserve by UNESCO...
, listed as a biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and an important wildlife sanctuary in Vietnam as it is characterized by a wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
biosystem dominated by mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
and many rare species; she took part in the environmental activities as green ambassador and keynote speaker. Along with the other Miss Earth beauties, they also presented mid-autumn gifts to orphans, and participated in the activities of the International Tourism Exhibition 2008, where they met and interacted with the Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
On September 20, 2008, Henry and Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko headed thousands of volunteers in a full day of filth-picking, sorting, and depositing in the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
al cleanup in San Dionisio bay, Parañaque City
Parañaque City
The City of Parañaque , or simply Parañaque , is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines....
. It was an annual event in tandem with the International Coastal Cleanup Day, the world’s largest volunteer event started by Ocean Conservancy
The Ocean Conservancy
The Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States.-History:...
, which aims to bring together people from all nations to gather and clean their shores once a year.
On August 2011 she was stabbed by a suspected drunk man with a broken beer bottle.
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Showtime Showtime (TV show) Showtime is a late morning/noon-time variety show airing on ABS-CBN in the Philippines. The show premiered October 24, 2009. It also currently airs worldwide through The Filipino Channel. The first season's grand finals was aired on July 24, 2010, Saturday at the Ynares Center, Antipolo City.... |
Judge (Evicted after 4 weeks) | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |