Anna Lakrini's advocacy in Miss Globe 2023 is inspired by her mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer
Anna Valencia Lakrini, the country's bet for Miss Globe 2023, is gearing up for the upcoming international pageant taking place in November. Apart from the Philippines, the beauty queen has been striving hard to bring home the crown for one person—her mother.
Speaking to the media during her send-off event on Oct. 18, the Bataeño beauty queen revealed that her advocacy to address malnutrition and promote agriculture stems from her desire to help people like her mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer.
It was also for the same reason that she took nutritional science in college.
Lakrini said, "It was a turning moment for me to decide that I wanna pursue nutrition, especially because she got sick and I wanted to do something to keep her healthy and prevent other woman or other people from [getting] breast cancer or getting sick."
The nutritional scientist had been vocal about finding inspiration in her mother, as early as the press presentation of Binibining Pilipinas last May.
“This experience made me realize the importance of making a change," ,” Lakrini said at that time. "That is why I inspire to have more feeding programs all across the country to teach more people about healthy diet."
In last Wednesday's event, the 25-year-old beauty queen said that she'll travel to promote her advocacies further if given the chance to bring home the crown.
"Definitely I wanna reach more people not only in the Philippines but all over the globe. I think one thing that I've seen from past queens is that I've seen is they weren't able to travel, and I would like to travel all across the globe to influence not only the causes of Miss Globe but the causes that are also dear to my heart which is nutrition," she said.
"I think that if we encourage everyone all around the globe to learn more even about sustainable agriculture, we can be sure that no one on this Earth will die of malnutrition," she continued.
Lakrini is currently the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development's ambassador for its agri-aqua innovation programs even before her second attempt at the Binibining Pilipinas.
"I'm so glad to be doing that because we can ensure that if we [can] educate people about how to grow their own vegetables, foods, that they have their own food and no one has to die of malnutrition," the beauty queen said.
Lakrini noted that her advocacy not only focuses on addressing hunger alone but providing nutritious food for her countrymen and the world.
"Sometimes, it's even not a question of getting food. Because the question is, is that food nutritious? If you get your body filled, and you don't feel you're energized but you still are lacking nutritious food that really keeps your body glowing, you can focus in school," she added. "That is really one of my passions."
She continued, "That is why I got to promote sustainable agriculture because I know we can all take part and I see all in the streets that people are already trying to grow their own seeds and their own plants."
Lakrini will be competing in the Miss Globe 2023 to be held on Nov. 17 in Albania. She will be representing the Philippines in hopes of winning the country’s third crown after the victories of Ann Lorraine Colis in 2015 and Maureen Montagne in 2021.
"I need the confidence in myself that I have the ability and capability to do everything I can to make sure that the third crown for the Philippines is possible," she said.
You can help Lakrini secure a spot in the competition by voting for her on the official Miss Globe website. The vote price is $1 (P56.88) excluding PayPal charges. As of writing, Jamaica, the USA, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia are the top-voted participants, respectively.