2006
Miss Philippines-Earth 2006: CATHERINE UNTALAN (Metro Manila)
Runners-up:Miss Philippines-Air: Ginger Ann Conejero (USA-Filipino Community)
Miss Philippines-Water: Katrina Grace Rigets (Metro Manila)
Miss Philippines-Fire: Frances Dianne Cervantes (Central Luzon)
Miss Phils. Eco-Tourism: Reena Rae Sarmiento (Canada-Filipino Community)
Miss Philippines Earth-USA 2006
Miss Philippines Air 2006
Miss Photogenic
The Filipino community in California sent a representative for the first time to the Miss Philippines Earth pageant shown last Sunday at ABS-CBN, Ginger Conejero. She initially won as Miss Fiesta Filipina-San Francisco. Bradford Adkins, a Fil-Am businessman who owns the U.S. franchise of the Miss Philippines Earth along with Richard Lao, personally chose her to compete in Manila. "We like the environmental causes the Pageant fights for," Bradford says.
"I was impressed by her hosting skills during the last Independence Day celebration in San Francisco."
Bradford is an impresario who is the president of Adkins Multi-Media Concepts and has produced the concerts of many Pinoy artists in the U.S.
What is amazing with Ginger, who’s turning 23 on July 16, is that although she was born in Chicago and raised in San Francisco, she speaks fluent Tagalog and Ilonggo without any American accent. "My mom is from Bacolod and she taught me to speak Tagalog and Ilonggo at home," she says. "I also speak fluent French as I studied it for six years."
She majored on political science in college and works with an internet company in Los Angeles. "I just took a leave of absence from my work to come to Manila. This is my fifth trip to the Philippines as I’ve had vacations here before with my family. The opportunity to join the Miss Philippines Earth pageant came at the right time as next year, I plan to take up law."
She has never had a boyfriend. "My parents are very strict since I’m an only child. But I do have crushes. Among Hollywood stars, I like George Clooney and Orlando Bloom. Among Pinoy talents, I like Sam Milby and TJ Trinidad."
Although she was the crowd’s favorite, she only won as Miss Philippines-Air, or first runner-up. Did she feel bad that she didn’t get the title? "Not at all. I can honestly say I have no hard feelings. When I came here, I just want to represent our community in the U.S. and enjoy myself. I wasn’t expecting anything. But when there were only five of us left as finalists, I knew I just had to put my best foot forward. I have deep faith in the Lord and something tells me there’s a reason why I didn’t get the crown. Baka some other door might open for me. Who knows?"
Is she open to joining showbiz? "Why not? I’m open to the experience. If I’d be given the opportunity, I’d really like to try it."