Elizabeth Clenci does PHL proud at Miss Grand Int’l

The Philippines' bet Elizabeth Clenci on Wednesday night kicked off the pageant season with a Top 5 finish at the 2017 Miss Grand International.

Clenci was awarded second runner-up, placing behind first runner-up Tulia Alemán of Venezuela and the winner, María José Lora of Peru.

Puerto Rico's Brenda Azaria Jiménez Hernández and Czech Republic's Nikola Uhlirová completed the final five as fourth and fifth runners-up respectively.

During the speech portion after the Top 10 were selected, Clenci advocated for peace through love, compassion, understanding, and education.

Her full speech:

Peace, a topic far more significant than any other and one that holds dearly to my heart, for we all know the horrors of war and the many that fight it are questioning why so few are willing to fight for peace.

Today I stand here knowing that it is my responsibility to fight for peace and to strive for peace in this world through love, compassion, understanding, and education.

Tonight, I stand with all of these women behind me, spreading the message of peace. I am here to remind you all, as a Philippine Peace Ambassador, but this is your responsibility, too. This is our responsibility.

Today, tomorrow, and for the generations to come.

After making it to the Top 5, Clenci along with the other candidates were tasked to answer the final question: "If you have to issue a law to punish criminals of war and violence, how would you punish these people and why?"

In her answer, Clenci promoted rehabilitation. Her full answer:

They say a nation is judged not by the criminals and the crimes that they commit, but how the nation punishes them.

If I were to create a law, it would be in line with jailment [sic], is to implement rehabilitation and mental rehabilitation.

Because character is such a complex phenomenon, but we cannot judge someone's character based on the crimes that they commit.

If we punish somebody just as equally as the crimes that they have committed, then what does that say about us?

I would implement better rehabilitation. Thank you.

Clenci, who turned 26 on October 20, is a musician. She was appointed a National Peace Ambassador by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process earlier in September.

Before the coronation night, she placed in the top 10 of the pageant's swimsuit competition. — Aya Tantiangco/BM, GMA News