MANILA – Philippine bet Emmanuelle Vera finished third runner-up at the Reina Hispanoamericana 2021 pageant held in Bolivia on Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila).

Mexico's Andrea Bazarte, was named as the pageant’s new winner.

The Miss World Philippines Organization congratulated Vera, saying, "We are proud of you! You represented our country very well."

"Thank you for raising the flag of the Filipinas. Mabuhay ka!" the organization said in a social media post.

During the question and answer segment, Vera was asked what she would do with her life now after the pandemic has given many people a second chance.

“I stand before you here today receiving my second chance. The pandemic rendered me jobless and hopeless. But through faith and perseverance, I rose again. But I realized that many Filipinos, countless Filipinos did not have the same opportunity as I did,” she said.

“Throughout the pandemic, I had the privilege of volunteering, raising funds and serving the less fortunate in my country," added the singer-turned-beauty queen.

"I witnessed their situation and I realized that I will never be the same. Now, because of the pandemic, I choose to see people through the lens of empathy to give them kindness and to act in genuine selfless love, and to live a life that serves a purpose that is bigger than myself and is of service of my fellowmen.”

After winning the Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2021 title during the Miss World Philippines competition last Oct. 3, Vera had a little time to prepare before flying to Bolivia for the coronation night.

Despite this, Vera took on the challenge of representing the Philippines in the 30-year-old contest.

“With only a few preparation days and an INCREDIBLE team behind me, I’m thrilled to say that I’m finally equipped to take on this challenge! Pilipinas, para sa’yo ito,” she said on social media prior to the pageant’s finale.

• Emmanuelle Vera flies to Bolivia for Reina Hispanoamericana 2021

In an earlier post, she called her Reina Hispanoamerican experience an honor and privilege, taking pride in wearing the Philippines sash in a beauty pageant abroad.

“What an honor and privilege. To say that the past few days have been nothing short of a whirlwind would be an understatement. But the excitement to finally wear the “Filipinas” sash is fuel enough to carry me through every obstacle & hardship,” Vera said.

It was in 2017 when the Philippines first joined Reina Hispanoamericana, a Latina-dominated pageant.

The country’s representative that year, actress Wynwyn Marquez, bagged the crown.

• Winwyn Marquez wins Reina Hispanoamericana 2017

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