By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA
THE Philippines continues to shine in pageants abroad after a Filipino fashion model-vlogger won the inaugural Miss Tourism Worldwide 2018 pageant held in Batam, Indonesia Sunday afternoon.
Zara Carbonell, 25, eldest daughter of actor Cris Villanueva and Zharine Marie Carbonell, a former fashion model-turned-businesswoman, beat 22 other contestants from around the world in the pageant that promotes tourism and cultural exchange.
“We won! Thank you so much to those who have been supporting me. Philippines this one’s for you,” says Zara on social media, moments after she won the international pageant.
Zara also won Special Queen Ambassadress, Miss Social Media, and 2nd Best in Talent during the competition. She is expected to arrive in the country on Saturday, Sept 15.
First runner-up honors went to Thailand; South Africa, 2nd runner-up; France, 3rd runner-up; and Siberia, 4th runner-up.
A graduate of the De La Salle University on Taft Avenue in Manila, Zara is into soccer, muay thai, and boxing to keep her fit. She has appeared on several television commercials and teleseryes.
After Zara was awarded second princess at the Miss World Philippines 2017 pageant, she says that she got busy with her advocacy on self-awareness.
“I’ve already met with National Youth Commission and we are planing to collaborate on my advocacy. We are planning to start school tours for this project,” the beauty queen says.
In 2017, Zara finished second runner-up at the Miss World Philippines pageant. She travels a lot and has started her own v-log called “In Zee’s Shoes.” She’s also into soccer, Muay Thai, and boxing to keep her fit.
Zara graduated Organizational Communication at the De La Salle University on Taft Avenue in Manila. She says that she always wanted to become a beauty queen and being a beauty is included in her bucket list.
Her career as a beauty queen started when she joined Bb. Colegio San Agustin-Makati where she won several awards and became one of the semifinalists. Then she won the titles Miss Teenager Universe-Philippines and World Miss University-Philippines. The rest is history.
Zara was chosen by national director Derek Balois Padrilan to be the country’s delegate to the inaugural international competition.
The hardworking beauty recalls her stint in one of the prestigious contests in the country in 2017.
“It was really a tough line. To have even been part of the Top 6 was such a long shot but I made it;
“And so at the end of the day, I am just very grateful that I got to be there. But also I feel like it was a stepping stone to something,” she adds.
