by brent520 » Thu Dec 17, 2020 9:51 pm
Here is the text. I tried my best to type and copy everything. Pardon my typographical errors, I tried my best. Hahaha
No copyright infringement intended. Article is owned by Miss Earth Crown page
The ‘Unfairness’ of the Miss Earth pageant system
By: Mark Lee Gatchalian, Miss Earth Crown Editor-in-chief
BIASED. A word that has been used against Miss Earth and its supposed
prejudice against countries that seemingly do well in the duration of the competition but fall short come finals night. Several countries and supporters of queens who consistently do well during the pre-pageant activities but fail to make the cut also lament that, “there seems to be something wrong because we did everything that we could but still failed to get the main title... this pageant is rigged.”
“The Philippines always wins”, some countries are always in the top 5”, as voiced by countries, delegates and observers after the pageant and countries cry foul because of these alleged unfair advantages.
MANIPULATED.
Miss Earth has been accused of altering the judging process that may seem to be advantageous towards a particular country or delegate. The organization’s top honcho was even taped in a seemingly bizarre and staged conversation that made it look like the crown can be bought. This has already been proven to be false.
CHEAP. Pageant pundits claim that Miss Earth is of little worth because it has achieved little compared to other BIG 5 Pageant such as Miss Universe and Miss World due to its seemingly disorganized way of managing controversies hounding it; and the ‘not so elegant’ productions it has managed to serve in the last two decades. “It is in no way part of the big four pageants, there are only three...”, says pageant ‘experts,’ naysayers and non-believers.
JUST WORDS
But these words, ”Biased, Manipulated, Cheap”, are just words used by people who are either newbies or know nothing of the Miss Earth pageant system. Because these words are NOT TRUE. Here is an inside look that disproves all these claims.
THE MISS EARTH PAGEANT SYSTEM IS FAIR AND TRANSPARENT
This pageant system is NOT biased and rigged. Speaking from experience, I have been invited to judge on Miss Earth in 2019 and had the opportunity to judge Miss Philippines Earth twice (2019 and 2020-virtual edition). And in the three times I became part of the selection committee
for the
“Intelligence and Environmental awareness” preliminary segment, there was no tinge of bias nor manipulation present in the selection process towards a particular delegate. Because the process is clear and the independent auditor is strict.
Carousel chooses judges that are experts in their fields from fitness experts, pageant trainers, photographers, beauty queens, to bloggers, teachers, scientists, lawmakers/policymakers and environmental influencers. All of which have garnered enough experience and credibility to choose the right girl for the title. They also employ SGV, a century old auditing firm, also known as Ernst and Young internationally to ensure that the results are final and unquestionable.
The moment I got a call from Ms. Peachy, Vice President& Project Director, I knew I had to prepare. I had to mentally and emotionally ready myself to remove or control any unconscious bias towards delegates. Therefore, I stopped interviewing delegates and delegated the tasks to my team, i stopped creating articles about them and I had to stop talking about them even with my own friends. To add to this, I knew enough about the environment since it is my passion, but I had to work double time to know the most relevant environmental issues per region in the Philippines for the local judging process; and per continent for the international edition. (Am I preparing for a thesis defense?).I figured I should at least show them that they got the right guy for the job.
A few days prior, we were immediately briefed by SGV about the process and how the delegates should be scored. A briefing packet was sent to me and I had to go on hyperdrive. As a judge, you really need to read and research the girls (all 80+ of them), aside from the materials given to me, I had to research their social media and watch interviews to initially assess them and fact check the authenticity of their advocacy. When it’s Miss Earth season, my Miss Earth Crown team never bothers me, because they know I take this job seriously.
And on the judging event, SGV had to brief us once again with the process. The girls are selected based on 3 important criteria: Beauty of figure and form, Beauty of face and Poise, and Environmental awareness and Intelligence. The three criteria have assigned weights and as a judge for intelligence we were reminded to apply minimum and maximum scores on this “specific” criterion, otherwise a median score will be applied (mathematical brain freeze!!). If we assign a score, that should be based solely on the performance of the girls, and should we choose to change the score on paper, we simply have to sign our initials beside it. Oh, lest we forget, there is one criterion that we all tend to ignore that is applied: Personality and Attitude, which sometimes makes or breaks a performing delegate. Because this is given by team managers and chaperones. They get to interact and observe the girls for a month and these are the same people they will work with should they win, hence, it is but logical to evaluate them on this aspect.
There is a science to all these instructions and processes, and you call that, “Statistics”, which I am no fan of, but “the science keeps bias at bay” at least to a minimum percentage.
During the event, SGV is also always lurking around to check how the judges are and to provide clarity should there be questions and discrepancies. During breaks, our folders are whisked away for confidentiality and secrecy. On top of this, on lunches, the judges “never talk” about the girls, instead, they talk about their businesses, the state of the environment and the possible theme for Miss Earth the following year. I, purposely even attempted, to talk to one of the judges to ask who did well in the interview, to which I got the reply, “The girls all did well, whoever will win is just lucky...”
I also never experienced someone from Carousel productions, telling me to give a high score to a delegate. Even personally knowing a delegate is like a double edged sword for me because I have an internal strict standard. If I know you, I will ask you a difficult question for sure. And If you answer well, I shall give you a score that you deserve. if you don’t answer well, then you deserve a low score. I am guilty of giving a low score to a delegate that I know, who failed to meet my expectations (I’m sorry!). I can never compromise my integrity, I am part of an industry where I am in great regulatory scrutiny, so I will never veer away from what I know is right.
After the judging event, the folders are again whisked away, signed, sealed and you will never get to see the results. These are then tabulated by the accounting firm and validated. And the organization will apply the continental placements because these gives equal opportunities for non-powerhouse countries to emerge in the finals.
The integrity of the judging process is also very clear because it is only in Miss Earth where the three important preliminary competitions are shown ‘live’ for the world to see. We do not see this in other pageant systems, where even the interview is
close-door and we can only guess what transpires in the event.
Performances from these events separates the girls who are really performing and living up to the hype from the girls who are purely hype. By this time, you would know who will make it to the semifinal. And this makes the Preliminaries exciting yet reliable.
But the unpredictability and positive magic of Miss Earth happens on the finals night. Because they have a “different” set of judges, who are also experts in their fields. And the same judging process applies. And at the end of the event, the scores are tabulated and always is final (unchanged). Hence, it is a pageant system that will never satisfy the fans, the experts or non-believers. Because it will crown the girl who fits the Miss Earth mold. And not the fan or pageant industry mold.
To judge an international event and describe it as a “difficult task” is an understatement. It is a gargantuan task affiliated with responsibility.
To call the judging process biased and rigged is tantamount to discrediting the hard work of other girls and an insult to the credibility, experience and knowledge of the preliminary and finals night judges.
Let me refer to the statement of my co-judge, given all the procedures and science behind the process, “whoever will win is just lucky...” Therefore, if you tick all the boxes and have prepared and performed in this environmental event, but if lady luck is not on your side, then you have to be mature enough to accept “fate”.
THE MISS EARTH PAGEANT SYSTEM IS ILLUSTRIOUS and PRESTIGIOUS
It can never be bought and it is the only pageant system that stood the test of time. It is the only system that endured the pandemic. It took the risk of mounting a virtual event sans profit just to continue its core, that is, the preservation and protection of the environment despite trying times.
And yes, Miss Earth is a MAJOR pageant system (live with it!), more relevant now in its second decade. It continued the cause uninterrupted for 20 years and it is a cue that Miss Earth will stand the test of time.
It is innovative and has managed to conduct a presentation unique and one of a kind but not losing its excitement and suspense. While other pageants cancelled, Miss Earth soldiered on.
It is also the only pageant system with clear criteria. And the only pageant system that trailblazed the showing of its preliminaries live and applies the continental placement. Hence, this makes the organization inclusive. It also respects cultures and personal beliefs, remember the delegate who refused to wear a swimsuit but was still allowed to compete?
This pageant system is not just about beauty because it takes into account the delegates attitude and advocacy.
MISS EARTH LISTENS
To add another feather to its cap is that it is also a system that treats everyone as family. Bloggers/Vloggers are treated as professionals, and the organization listens to their and the fans’ feedback. In fact, the Miss Earth fanhood has become a community and have called themselves ‘Earthlings,’ and now, this is how the Miss Earth queens address them. Another proof of the dedicated Miss Earth fanbase is the existence of Miss Earth dedicated pages, blogs and vlogs.
THE CORE
It is an uncanny and misunderstood pageant system because people are blinded by the glitz and glamour of the other big pageants, but once the smoke screen fades, you will get to see its CORE. The CORE of beauties for a cause.
If there is one thing that Miss Earth is biased towards, it is making Mother Earth win, because it wants to do more for the environment NOW more than EVER.
Sumakit mata at daliri ko nyemas! Thank me later, just read the article first.