MISS Philippines Elizabeth Clenci finished 2nd runner-up at the Miss Grand International 2017 beauty pageant held in Vietnam last Wednesday night.
Maria Jose Lora of Peru won the Miss Grand International 2017 crown, as she edged out 76 other girls for the title.
Other winners were: Tulia Aleman Ferrer, of Venezuela, 1st runner-up; Brenda Azaria Jimenez, Puerto Rico, 3rd runner-up; and Nikola Uhlirova, 4th runner-up.
Clenci continued the winning streak of the Philippines in the Miss Grand International pageant, Last year, Nicole Cordoves finished 1st runner-up in the same contest. Other winners were Parul Shah (3rd runner-up 2015), Ali Forbes (3rd runner-up 2013).
Filipino actor Xian Lim and Cordoves hosted the fifth edition of the pageant.
The Miss Grand International beauty contest aims to promote peace and stop wars around the world.
During the final question-and-answer portion of the contest, the Top 5 candidates were asked a common question: “If you have to issue a law to punish criminals of war and violence, how would you punish these people and why?”
Clenci answered: “They say a nation is judged not by the criminals and the crimes that they commit, but how the nation punishes them.
“If I were to create a law, it would be in line with jailment, is to implement rehabilitation and mental rehabilitation.
“Because character is such a complex phenomenon, but we cannot judge someone’s character based on the crimes that they commit.
“If we punish somebody just as equally as the crimes that they have committed, then what does that say about us?
“I would implement better rehabilitation. Thank you.”
The Filipino-Romanian beauty is first of six current Binibining Pilipinas title holders to compete in pageants abroad.
Other Binibinis who will vie for international crowns are Nelda Ibe, for Miss Globe pageant; Katarina Sonja Rodriguez, Miss Intercontinental; Chanel Olive Thomas, Miss Supranational; Maria Angelica de Leon, Miss International; and Rachel Peters, Miss Universe.
