MISS EARTH 2001: INTERVIEWS

Miss Earth : Interviews : Miss Singapore : Calista Ng Yu Ying

By Kyle T.

from http://missearth2001.tripod.com/interview/singapore.htm

 

This Dindi Gallardo look-alike struck me as somewhat snobbish at first. Unlike the other delegates who would let out a gracious smile without prodding, she intermittently projects an aloof presence amidst the scrutiny of the media people during the Press Presentation.  During my brief conversation with her, I found out that she is actually a sensible yet serious individual.  If at any, the only weakness I saw beneath Calista's beautiful face is her tendency to show an underlying lack of humor in her personality.  In one of my lighter questions which is supposed to elicit a smile from her end, she still remained sedate  Here are excerpts from our one-on-one:

 Have you done any special preparations for this contest?  If yes, what is it?

 "…Yes because I actually joined and won Miss Singapore Chinatown 2000 and I am supposed to represent my country in the Miss Asia-Pacific Pageant.  But when the organizers told me that there is a new contest, Miss Earth, to be held here in Manila as well, I told them that I'm more interested to join Miss Earth because we have our own responsibilities to promote or make our environment better.  And also, we are not only talking about Asia, we are talking about the world here.   You know that I come from a small country, where everyone is educated about the environment and that helps in containing whatever problems there are. I don't need to study or anything like that because I was raised knowing the values of preserving Mother Earth.  Without the earth, there will be no future for us."

Did you come here for the Miss Earth Pageant to win, to place, or to just participate? 

"…I came here to actually promote Miss Earth, to educate the public to take care of our environment - this is my main reason of coming here, because I strongly believe that environment is very important.  If you can't do your part to be responsible, then it's time to wake up."

Some people think that beauty queens are larger than life, how can you convince them that you are just as normal as anybody else? "

… I don't know about beauty queens being larger than life because for me, I am just a simple girl. I am the same as everyone.  I mean a beauty queen can be anybody because if  you can have a kind heart for the world, no matter what, as a human being, we are the same.  It doesn't matter if you are beauty queen or just like one of the poor people, a worker, or salesman, as long as you have a heart in the right place and you care for other people, care for the world, care for the whole surrounding, we are all the same. There's no difference if you're a beauty queen.  Everyone can be a beauty queen if you have a heart."

As a beauty queen, you are expected to stay fit and healthy, name me one food you cannot resist eating

. "…Chili.  Big red hot chilis.  My favorite food is hot chili!"