Filipino-French beauty crowned as Miss World PH 2022

By Jose Patao Jr - June 8, 2022

FILIPINO-FRENCH beauty Gwendolyne Bolivar Fourniol, 21, was crowned as Miss World Philippines 2022, topping the field of 36 contestants at the pageant held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena that began at past 8 p.m. Sunday and concluded at past 1 a.m. Monday.

Representing her mother’s home province of Negros Occidental, Gwendolyne was born in Lyons, France, schooled in England and moved to the Philippines in 2018 to be actively involved in ERDA (Educational Research and Development Assistance) Foundation, one of the biggest non-government, non-profit organizations in the country founded by Fr. Pierre Tritz, SJ in 1974 that has helped a million marginalized but deserving Filipinos have access to education.

During the final question-and-answer round, Gwen was asked “How do we cope with an education deficit accumulated during the pandemic?” She replied: “As an advocate of education, I do agree that during the pandemic, we have suffered the most, but the children who have a lack of access to education have suffered the greatest. And working hand in hand with ERDA Foundation who empowered marginalized children, by uniting benefactors and encouraging children and allowing them to go back to school, especially during this pandemic, will make the world a better place because education is the greatest weapon against poverty.”

Gwen, who also won as Best in Evening Gown, Beach Beauty and Miss Silka, was surprised by her mom Sim Fourniol and her brother who flew in from London two days ago, making her victory even more meaningful.

Gwen will vie for the country’s second Miss World title – after Megan Young – at the 71st Miss World in London in December.

ERDA Foundation helped Sim Fourniol with her education. Sim obtained her AB Psychology degree from PWU and eventually worked in Europe where she met Gwen’s French dad Thierry Fourniol, a software engineer.

The other winners are: Alison Black, Miss Supranational Philippines, from Las Piñas; Ingrid Santamaria, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas, from Parañaque; Ashley Subijano Montenegro, Miss Eco Philippines, from Makati; Beatriz McLelland, Miss Eco Teen Philippines, from Aklan; Justine Felizarta, Miss Tourism (1st Princess), from Marikina; and Cassandra Chan, Miss Charity (2nd Princess), from San Juan City.

The pageant was hosted by previous Miss World Philippines winners Valerie Weigmann, Laura Lehmann and Katarina Rodriguez. In the panel of judges were actors David Licauco and Winwyn Marquez (also Reina Hispanoamericana 2018) and Miss World first runner-up 1973 Evangeline Pascual.

https://malaya.com.ph/news_entertainment/filipino-french-beauty-crowned-as-miss-world-ph-2022/