Former beauty queens speak up on 'reality' of sexual harassment in PH

By CNN Philippines Staff

Updated 21:47 PM PHT Tue, November 13, 2018

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 13) Sexual harassment is real—be it in and out of the Philippine pageant scene.

More beauty queens have come forward with personal stories about sexual harassment. This comes in the wake of a recent controversy that hounded the Miss Earth organization. One of the sponsors allegedly asked for sexual favors from some candidates.

Former Miss International representatives Bea Rose Santiago and Mariel de Leon took to social media to express their opinions on the matter.

Santiago, who was crowned in 2013, said sexual harassment is not new in beauty competitions.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Santiago recounted personal stories of harassment from different people-from businessmen to even priests.

"I was molested when I was a child by a priest. He is still preaching somewhere in Masbate... I was once touched inappropriately by a well known businessman. This guy is a well known CEO of a big company (companies pa nga e) he even organized parties for girls who didn't win with his friends," she wrote.

De Leon, Miss International 2017 bet, also tossed in her two cents, saying it is "never okay to blame the victim."

"It doesn't matter what she is doing, where she is, what state she is in, and it especially doesn't matter what she is wearing. No is no," she added.

The Miss Earth controversy became viral when three candidates publicly shared their unfortunate experiences with the alleged harasser-sponsor, a certain Amado Cruz, during the competition.

Miss Earth-Canada Jaime Yvonne Vandenberg, Miss Earth-England Abbey-Anne Gyles-Brown, and Miss Earth-Guam Emma Mae Sheedy also decried the lack of support from the organization, saying concerned authorities did not act on their complaints.

Lorraine Schuck, founder and executive vice president of the production outfit that runs the pageant, said they will ban the alleged sponsor from the pageant's future events.

http://cnnphilippines.com/entertainment/2018/11/13/sexual-harassment-philippines-beauty-queens.html