Philippines’ Katarina Rodriguez loses to Venezuela at Miss World’s Head-to-Head challenge

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo (philstar.com) - December 4, 2018 - 12:00pm

MANILA, Philippines — Miss World Philippines 2018 Katarina Rodriguez has failed to win against Miss Venezuela Veruska Ljubisavljevic at the second round of Miss World’s Head-to-Head challenge, which could have been Katarina’s ticket to snagging a slot in the pageant’s top 30.

In a Facebook post, Katarina apologized to her fellow Filipinos for being unable to win in the challenge and to get a spot for the Philippines in the semifinals.

“Sa kababayan ko, sorry for not being able to win my head-to-head match-up with Venezuela but I believe she is a kind girl and she deserved the win earlier,” Katarina wrote.

“Sa kababayan ko, I remain positive. I have been giving it my all in the last two weeks so far. With one week left in this journey, I hope you remain by my side, so together we make big strides for the future. Laban lang! I know because I'm doing this for the country and for the children of Marawi.”

After winning the second round of the Head-to-Head showdown, Miss Venezuela now advances to the top 30 or the semi-final round.

Rodriguez moved to the second round of the Head-to-Head challenge after winning in the Group 4 of the first round.

In the Head-to-Head challenge, which is the first challenge in the pageant, each candidate showed an introduction video. The beauty queen from Davao showed her hometown as well as the beauty of the Philippines in her video. She also described how she loves her grandparents in the video and how they raised her.

In the second round of the Head-to-Head challenge, Katarina discussed her Beauty with a Purpose video about Project Become, her advocacy to help the war-torn city of Marawi build schools and provide instruction materials for the children.

Related video: Philippines versus Venezuela at Miss World's Head-to-Head challenge second round

Miss World 2013 Megan Young from the Philippines was among the judges shown in the video of the second round of the Head-to-Head challenge.

Nonetheless, Katarina’s Project Become also failed to win or make it in the top 25 of the Beauty with a Purpose challenge. Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada won in the challenge for her fundraising project that was able to construct a health post for a needy community near her birthplace.

Miss Nepal also won in the Multimedia challenge, which made her secure a spot in the finals on December 8 in Sanya, China. — Reports from Jan Milo Severo, video from YouTube/Hi Miss TV

https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2018/12/04/1874143/philippines-katarina-rodriguez-loses-venezuela-miss-worlds-head-head-challenge