By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA
A 45-year-old businesswoman from Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, will represent the Philippines at the inaugural Mrs. Tourism Queen International 2018 beauty pageant to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Aug. 30.
Pearl Cruz Grande will be competing against more than 30 other candidates from around the world. She was personally handpicked by Ovette Ricalde of Megastar Productions, the national director of Mrs. Tourism Queen International contest.
Grande, who owns a manpower agency, says her family is supportive of her quest for the international crown. She is currently based in Japan and reigning Mrs. Japan Philippines.
“At first my children were surprised at my decision to join the pageant. Now it’s okay. I hope to be a voice to help poor children around the world,” Grande says, during press send-off held in Quezon City.
Grande shares she appeared in several movies when she was younger.
Ricalde says the Mrs. Tourism Queen International pageant will choose five winners: a titleholder and four runners-up.
There will also be five continental winners: Mrs. Tourism of Europe, Mrs. Tourism of the Americas, Mrs. Tourism of Oceania, Mrs. Tourism of Africa and Mrs. Tourism of Asia.
