Binibining Pilipinas queens lift wounded Marawi soldiers' spirits

Binibining Pilipinas queens cheered up soldiers injured from the ongoing battle in Marawi City with a visit by their beauty queens to the Heroes Ward at the AFP Hospital.

Miss Universe Philippines Rachel Peters, Bb. Pilipinas International Mariel De Leon, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental Katarina Rodriguez, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational Chanel Olive Thomas, Bb. Pilipinas Grand International Elizabeth Clenci, Bb. Pilipinas Globe Nelda Ibe toured the AFP Hospital to spread cheer on Friday.

"Thank you to all of these guys for sacrificing their lives for our country, for the safety of our kababayans in Mindanao, and so much love for all of these guys," Peters said in a report by Aubrey Carampel on 24 Oras.

"It's incredibly inspiring and at the same time heart-wrenching to see what these soldiers have been through just fighting for our country and for all of us," Clenci added.

Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. Chairperson Stella Marquez Araneta was also present at the event that began with a program in the hospital auditorium to allow soldiers to take selfies with the beauty queens.

Sgt. Sandy Benitez, whose foot was struck with shrapnel in a skirmish, said the morale of soldiers, healthy and injured alike, shot through the roof due to the appearance of the beauty queens in their midst.

"Tumaas yung morale namin kasi binisita nila kami. Nakita namin yung suporta nila sa amin," Benitez said.

Rodriguez, whose advocacy involves peace, plans to visit Marawi with a non-government organization to personally see soldiers in action and to visit people affected by the battle.

"To see what I can do to help what's the situation in Marawi even in Iligan and CDO because that's where the evacuees are going to so I have a lot of things in mind and a lot of things planned out so it's just a matter of time," she said. —Rie Takumi with Aya Tantiangco/JST, GMA News