(UPDATED) Kathleen Paton talked about water pollution during the first question and answer round of Miss Eco International 2022 in Egypt on Thursday (Friday in the Philippines).

The Filipina beauty queen and the rest of the Top 10 finalists were asked to deliver a statement on different topics such as fast fashion, mass production, and body shaming.

"Water pollution is a huge issue in the Philippines. A lot of Filipinos actually don't have access to clean drinking water. And I believe it is a right for every single human being, especially to my [fellow] Filipinos, to have access to clean water," Paton said.

"Therefore I aim to work with a company called 100 for All to give free access to water by giving out water filtration systems not just to one family, but to the whole community."

During the final round of Miss Eco International 2022, Paton and her fellow Top 5 candidates were given their respective questions:

SPAIN

Q: Mention one advantage and disadvantage of being an influencer.

"The disadvantage of being an influencer is that everyone is going to judge you. So you have a lot of pressure. And the advantage of being an influencer is that you can do a good job. You can teach, you can help all the people. In social media, we are used to showing the best face, always look pretty, always look beautiful. But that's not the reality. We have to show also the bad part of our life, and we can help all the people [realize] that it's normal to have a bad day."

BELGIUM

Q: What are some messages about body positivity and the way the world addresses it that you wish you could tell your younger self?

"My question is really close to my heart because if I could tell my younger self something, it's that you just go for it. Because everyone around was telling me like, 'No, you're just from a small city. You just live on a farm with your dad and do farm things, and you can't be a Miss.' And I'm like, what if I can show the world that I can do it? And every little girl can do it. Every little girl has dreams. And I think that we all must follow our dreams because we are all special, and uniqueness is beautiful."

PHILIPPINES

Q: As a titleholder, you're a public figure. Do you think it's important to stay neutral on controversial social issues or to use your title to promote your own belief, and why?

"It is a very tough question in all honesty because we are at the forefront of opinions and negativity every single day, especially on social media. I do believe as a leader and as someone who is very influential in society, we sometimes have to use our voice in a very neutral state of mind because we have a very influential position. But in doing so we also need to use our voice in order to motivate other people to stand up for what is right, and I think that takes a lot of good moral compass."

MALAYSIA

Q; What are the best qualities that a parent could teach to their children?

"The best qualities that parents can teach their children would be respect. Respect each other, respect everyone around us and the environment, the world. Other than that, they should teach them how to be kind, and be [trustworthy] to the people. because we are in this world together with people around us. If we do not trust and respect them, nobody is going to respect us. It's always give and take, and respect everyone."

USA

Q: If you can time travel, who would you like to meet and why?

"If I can travel back in time to meet someone [and] it would have to be someone who's already alive, it would have to be Greta Thunberg. I think she is a pioneer, a leader, and an environmental activist, and a role model that we all need. I think we need to all lead by example and lead with our hearts, and those are qualities that your next Miss Eco International should possess. And I believe I possess those qualities."

Paton is aiming for the Philippines' second Miss Eco International crown, after Cynthia Thomalla in 2018.

• Kathleen Paton joins Miss Eco International Top 10