TRANSCRIPT: Here's how the top candidates answered in the Miss World PH 2021 Q&A

#14: Gwendolyne Fourniol

We all know how important being vaccinated is nowadays due to the pandemic... But if you have relatives and friends who are still unvaccinated, how will you convince them to be vaccinated? 

Fourniol: Well, thank you for that question. I truly believe that we need to take action on matters, especially during the pandemic, where we have rampant issues such as COVID. The best way to combat this is to come together to use the best ways that have been created for us, which is being vaccinated. I would encourage them to not just do it for their own safety, but for the safety of others because by doing so, we would be making this world a safer planet. Thank you.

#43: Ganiel Krishnan

What makes health the greatest wealth of any man?

Krishnan: Well, now, more than ever, I think we all realize how important it is and how health is the greatest wealth of everyone. We don't know what tomorrow brings us and so I would suggest everybody to please take care of your health and, of course, take care of your family. I've always believed that our family is our greatest possession in life and that is truly the wealth in life. Thank you.

#38: Kathleen Paton

What is that thing that you need to overcome? 

Paton: One thing that you need to overcome is fear, with your confidence and the fear of being rejected. I, myself, have suffered from a lack of confidence when I was younger. I wasted a lot of my time being stuck at home because I was afraid of coming out of my comfort zone. I would tell my younger self that, if I could go back in time, to overcome this fear because you have no idea what's out there and what's there for you. Thank you.

#25: Danica Dilla

How would you describe beauty and its importance to a blind person?

Dilla: I would describe beauty to a blind person by letting her or him imagine the love that he or she receives from the surroundings. I think that if we let them feel loved and cared for and respected, they would be able to see beauty even if they are not given a chance to see the world.

#6: Shaila Rebortera

The frontrunner in all surveys for the polls for president is a woman. If she were to ask you: should she run for president even if her children are very young? What advice would you give her?

Rebortera: In modern times right now, a woman is strong and brave in different ways. Other women are strong and brave because they sacrifice their careers for their families. If our candidate would like to pursue becoming a president despite sacrificing time for their family in exchange for serving the Filipino people, then I would definitely support that.

#4: Janelle Lewis

With the pandemic right now, what's more important: you having money or you being safe and healthy?

Lewis: To me, honestly, during the pandemic, I've learned that there's nothing else more important than being safe because to me, nothing else matters than money when you have your family with you. Bringing your family into a very difficult situation can lead to heartbreak. I feel like there's more that could hurt me more than losing a loved one.

#10: Michelle Arceo

Would you rather live in a world without the pandemic or without corruption?

Arceo: I would pick a world without corruption because we are surrounded by it every day, everywhere we look. People every day suffer from it, and if we can eradicate that, we can solve so many problems and we can get through a pandemic easily the next time we go about it. We, the people, need to be taken care of. Thank you.

#18: Tatyana Austria

In life, what should you follow, your heart or your mind?

Austria: I believe there's a reason God made humans the way they are, with our minds over our hearts anatomically in our bodies, and so I think we should follow the mind to stay logical, to stick to our core values because the mind would ultimately influence the heart and so that we can live our lives without having to step on others' toes. Thank you.

#36: Tracy Maureen Perez

After we go through this pandemic, what would you want us to learn from it?

Perez: After this pandemic, I hope that we never take for granted the family that we have, taking care of our health, and taking care of the people that protect us like our leaders, our front liners. We should always give importance to those people. We may not see the efforts that they give out, but most definitely they are our modern heroes. For that, we should always be grateful, and that we should always stick with them and pray for them. Thank you.

#31: Riana Pangindian

Because of the pandemic, I wanted to know if this changed your concept of being a modern Filipina?

Pangindian: Definitely. This pandemic has changed my perspective on how we should live as Filipinos. As a modern Filipina, I've learned to make ways to get through it, and that's when I started my small business just to help my family because it is very difficult at this time. I think it's very important that we take every circumstance as an opportunity to learn and make the most out of it. Thank you.

#8: Emmanuelle Vera

Is it true that all is fair in love and war? Why?

Vera: I believe that in love and in war alike, we should always prioritize empathy and the well-being of other people. All is not fair if we're stepping on other people's toes or if we are acting in selfishness or conceit, and the only way to approach any situation is at the optimum levels and if we consider the needs of our fellowmen above our own. We live to love and to serve them and walk in compassion at all times. Thank you very much.

#29: Ann Palmares

Which would you choose: a man who plays it safe or someone who is spontaneous and wild?

Palmares: I would say I would choose a man who is spontaneous and wild. After all, life is short. With this pandemic, we are able to know that we should not take anything for granted. With this, we can talk to people who can make us experience that life is worth living even though it's short. Thank you.

#1: Lea Macapagal

If you'll be given the chance to file your certificate of candidacy this coming 2022 elections, what position do you prefer and why?

Macapagal: As a woman, I believe that we can do even the seemingly impossible thing especially a leader. After this, being a beauty queen, I can also see myself as a public servant. To all the women out there, we should not be afraid of taking a risk, of going out of our comfort zone. If you're going to ask that question, I would love to be the president of this country. Thank you.

#27: Trisha Martinez

What advice or message can you give the new generation of voters? 

Martinez: In this time of crisis, my advice to people is to keep on going on because we all have dreams. At this time, we might feel that all our dreams are on hold, but they are not gone. With grit and determination, those dreams will become a reality. Just hold on. Thank you.

#30: Julie Tarrayo

What is the biggest sacrifice you've ever had to make and how did you handle it?

Tarrayo: The biggest sacrifice that I ever had to make was to give up on my dream of being a flight attendant simply because of what happened to the pandemic. There had been retrenchments, especially in the airline industry. But I didn't let go. I just held on and started a business, which is now helping not just my family, the economy, but also my employees and their families. Thank you so much.

Tracy Maureen Perez bagged Miss World Philippines 2021 at the recently-concluded pageant. Other winners include Kathleen Paton (Miss Eco Philippines), Tatyana Austria (Miss Eco Teen Philippines), Emmanuelle Vera (Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas), Trisha Martinez (Miss Tourism Philippines), Michelle Arceo (Miss Environment Philippines), Shaila Robertera (Miss Multinational Philippines), and Dindi Pajares (Miss Supranational Philippines).