Did interpreter's wrong choice of words affect Maxine's answer?

The Philippines' representative Maxine Medina on Monday failed to make it to the top three of the Miss Universe competition after a tense Question and Answer portion.

Throughout the pageant, she had been plagued with criticisms of her English and communication skills. Upon some urging from fans, she became the first Filipina beauty queen to have an interpreter on standby.

Medina's grace and confidence carried her to the Top 6 and was the first to be interviewed by host Steve Harvey. 

The host read out this question to Medina: "What is the most significant change you’ve seen in the world in the last 10 years?"

Medina's interpreter translated this in Filipino as: "Ano ang pinakamakabuluhang naganap na pangyayaring nakita mo sa mundo sa loob ng sampung taon?"

It is evident to speakers of both languages that "significant change" would be better translated as "makabuluhang pagbabago" and not "makabuluhang naganap na pangyayari."

"Makabuluhang naganap na pangyayari" can be translated back to English as "significant event", which the Miss Universe pageant is to many fans and, of course, Medina herself.

Medina's response reflected this. Medina replied: "In the last 10 years of being here in the world, is that I saw all the people bringing in one event like this, Miss Universe. And it's something big to us that we are one, as one nation we are all together."

The spirit of her answer remains that the pageant united Filipinos. This begs the question: Did the interpreter's choice of words affect her answer?

In a Balitanghali report, Aubrey Carampel shared that Medina believes she gave the correct answer to the question as she wanted to highlight this unity for the Miss Universe pageant. —JST, GMA News