The pageant was originally scheduled to be held at the The Venetian Macao in Macau on November 7, 2009, but the host committee backed out. Alejandra Andreu of Spain will crown her successor at the end of the event.

Here are the official contestants this year:

Argentina, Mercedes Viaña
Aruba, Christina Trejo
Australia, Kelly Louise Maguire
Bahamas, Aisha Delaney
Belarus, Yana Supranovich
Belgium, Cassandra D’Ermilio
Bolivia, Laura Olivera
Brazil, Rayanne Morais
Canada, Chanel Beckenlehner
China, Wang Qian
Chinese, Taipei Yi Chih Chen
Colombia, Lina Mosquera
Costa Rica, Jennifer Miranda
Cuba, Patricia Rosales
Czech Republic, Darja Jacukevičová
Dominican Republic, Victoria Fernández
Ecuador, Isabela Chiriboga
El Salvador, Vanessa Hueck
Ethiopia, Rahel Woldekirkos
Finland, Linda Wikstedt
France, Mathilde Muller
Gabon, Cynthia Mboumba
Georgia, Maria Sarchimelia
Germany, Valora Roucek
Greece, Diana Igropoulou
Guadeloupe, Joelle Clamy
Guam, Clarissa Damian
Guatemala, Angélica Guevara
Honduras, Kenia Andrade
Hong Kong, Germaine Li
India, Harshita Saxena
Indonesia, Ayu Diandra Sari
Japan, Yuka Nakayama
Kenya, Diana Nekoye
Korea, Seo Eun-mi
Kyrgyzstan, Altynai Ismankulova
Latvia, Anda Pudule
Lebanon, Sarah Mansour
Malaysia, Tay Tze Juan
Martinique, Nathaly Peters
Mexico, Anagabriela Espinoza
Moldova, Catalina Stascu
Mongolia, Badamgerel Khurelbaatar
Netherlands, Roline Hund
Nicaragua, Slilma Ulloa
Nigeria, Tyme Mba
Northern Marianas, Sorene Maratita
Norway, Beatrice M. Delås
Panama, Joyce Jacobi
Paraguay, Romina Bogado
Peru, Alejandra Pezet
Philippines, Melody Gersbach
Poland, Angelika Jakubowska
Puerto Rico, Mónica Pastrana
Romania, Iuliana Capsuc
Russia, Ksenia Hrabovskaya
Singapore, Annabelle Liang
Slovakia, Soňa Skoncová
South Africa, Bokang Montjane
Spain, Melanie Santiago
Sudan, Suna William
Tanzania, Hidaya Maheda
Thailand, Picha Nampradit
Turkey, Begüm Yılmaz
Uganda, Pierra Akwero
Ukraine, Dariya Ovcharova
United Kingdom, Chloe-Beth Morgan
USA, Aileen Yapp
Venezuela, Laksmi Rodríguez
Vietnam, Trần Thị Quỳnh

Countries/Territories who withdrew their candiates are Hawaii, Italy, Liberia, New Zealand, Republic of Congo, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Suriname and Zambia.

The Philippine delegate is 23-year-old Melody Gersbach, considered as one of the strong contenders this year:

1. USA, Amy Diaz
2. Philippines, Sandra Seifert
3. Venezuela, Jessica Barboza
4. Spain, Alejandra Echevarria

5. Cuba, Jamillette Gaxiola
6. Italy, Luna Isabella Voce
7. Brazil, Larissa Ramos
8. Czech Republic, Tereza Budková

9. Thailand, Rujinan Phanseethum
10. Colombia, Alejandra Castillo Múnera
11. India, Shriya Kishore
12. Turks, & Caicos Alison Capron

13. Paraguay, Gabriela Rejala
14. Mexico, Natalia Quiñónez
15. France, Magalie Thierry
16. Guam, Maria Luisa Santos

17. Poland Izabela Wilczek
18. Switzerland Graziella Rogers

10 STRONG ALTERNATES:

Dominican Republic, Mariel Garcia
Hungary, Korinna Kocsis
Latvia Diana, Kubasova
Malaysia, Madeline Nandu
Korea, Park Ye-ju
Puerto Rico, Dignelis Jiménez
Martinique, Pascale Nelide
Canada, Lateesha Ector
Russia, Ksenia Podsevatkina
Pakistan, Ayesha Gilani

Miss Philippines Sandra Seifert is currently at no. 1 position in Globalbeauties’ Beauty Tree for Miss Earth 2009. Also making it to the top of the leaderboard are Spain, USA, Czech Republic, Cuba and Venezuela.

We opened a poll yesterday with the proposition: Do You Think RP Bet Sandra Seifert Will Win Miss Earth 2009?

Here’s the final result after one day:

Here are some note-worthy comments from our readers:

“…Sandra will bring us the crown again. It’s not the fact that the pageant is held in the Phil that will make her win, but because she truly deserves it.” – Gly28

“I do believe she deserve the crown if carla make it how much more sandra right?” – Joven

“Kakahiya naman kung pinas uli ang manalo jan, kasi nga dito ginanap. Ok sana kung sa ibang bansa ginanap, tapos nakuha niya ung mga major awards na ganyan, I’m sure lahat ng pinoy kahit san man banda sa buong mundo, eh proud sa kanya, pero sa ganitong sitwasyon, bias ang tingin ko eh. senxia na po, nagpapaka-totoo lang” – Freelancer

“If she will pull out everything what she has in the interview portion, then that would be the parameter of her placement since Miss Earth puts bearing on the wit and intelligence. I believe she’ll do it.” – Jingdiv

“sana hindi para di tau mukhang gaya2 sa Miss U” – Anonymous

76% of our respondents believe Sandra deserves the crown if ever she win Miss Earth 2009 this Sunday. If you’re able to see her in person during the evening gown competition, you will get mesmerized by her presence. And then she started talking, connecting the gown that she is wearing to waste segregation system, you knew instantly that this girl is a winner.

But there’s an issue arising if ever Sandra wins Miss Earth 2009. She will be the 3rd “practically pinay” winner in 3 consecutive years. 2007 winner is Half-Pinay Miss Canada. 2008 is Karla Henry, the Philippine candidate. Not to mention that the pageant is produced by Filipinos and currently being held here in the Philippines.

I personally believe if Sandra wins, it will surely hurt the pageant’s reputation. If 10 contestants withdrew this year, next year it could be more than 10 if that happens. So do you think it’s best for the pageant if they will NOT let Sandra win this Sunday even though she deserves the crown?

We will now begin with our second proposition:

The organizers should NOT let Sandra Seifert win Miss Earth 2009. Do you agree or disagree?

This poll will be open ’til Saturday night.

Even before she got disqualified in Bb. Pilipinas earlier this year, Sandra Seifert was believed by pageant experts to be the best delegate the country should have ever selected to compete in Miss Universe since Mirriam Quiambao. But destiny took her to the Miss Earth pageant instead.

Three days before Miss Earth crowns the next queen, pageant enthusiasts are wondering if Sandra will deliver a back-to-back victory for the Philippines since Karla Paula Henry, Miss Philippines Earth 2008, is the outgoing Miss Earth queen.

The speculations that Sandra will win Miss Earth 2009 became even stronger when she bagged the two major preliminary awards: Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown. Not to mention that Sandra is very articulate and there’s no doubt that she will nail the question and answer portion come Sunday night.

Our first Proposition: Do You Think Miss Philippines, Sandra Seifert, will Win the Miss Earth crown?

This poll is now closed. Here’s the result after a day:

Our second proposition will be: The organizers should NOT let Sandra Seifert win Miss Earth 2009. Do you agree or disagree? < -- 2nd poll to be opened this afternoon.

After winning the Best in Swimsuit award last Saturday, Philippine bet Sandra Seifert, who was a Bb. Pilipinas outcast, won Best in Evening Gown!

The Evening Gown finals was held last night, November 16, at the PAGCOR Grand Theater in Parañaque City where the host candidate disappointed 79 other beauties from around the world after being announced as the winner.

It looks like the Miss Earth Pageant is on track to duplicate what happened in Miss Universe earlier this year where a back-to-back victory was granted to Venezuela. Venezuela bagged the Miss Universe crown in 2008 and 2009, the first time that a country won twice in 2 consecutive years in the history of the pageant. Philippines won Miss Earth 2008, are we seeing another Miss Earth crown for the country next week?

It’s highly possible since Sandra Seifert, believed by pageant experts to end the country’s Miss Universe drought when she competed in Bb. Pilipinas earlier this year, is a real stunner and epitome of beauty and brains. But when Bb. Pilipinas disqualified her for having posed in FHM, Sandra did not quit on her dream to become a beauty queen. Miss Philippines earth embraced her and now she’s an excellent representative of the country.

But to give the crown to the host candidate for the second year in a row will definitely hurt the Philippine-produced Miss Earth pageant which is currently tagged as the 3rd most prestigious in the world. Sandra might be the fairest among 80 contestants but i believe we should not duplicate the Miss Universe incident. If we do, there’s a big possibility that some countries will boycott the pageant and will no longer participate on next editions.

Just my opinion. A first runner up position for Sandra is enough. We know she’s the best but we have to give way to other equally deserving candidates like USA, Venezuela, Latvia and Spain (my suggestions) because we are the host country.

Image courtesy of OPMB.

The Best in Swimsuit finals was held Saturday night, November 14, at the Fontana Leisure Park and Casino in Pampanga. Sandra Seifert disappointed 14 other finalists for the title which include misses Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Colombia, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, Switzerland, Turks & Caicos, USA and Venezuela.

Here are the Best in Swimsuit winners in Miss Earth from 2001 to 2009:

2001 – Kazakhstan
2002 – Colombia
2003 – France
2004 – Paraguay
2005 – Venezuela
2006 – Venezuela
2007 – Venezuela
2008 – Mexico
2009 – Philippines

80 out of 91 registered contestants remain, vying this year for the Miss Earth title. 10 candidates withdrew earlier while 1 candidate was disqualified because of height restrictions.

The contestants who withdrew from the pageant were:

Bolivia, Noemi Dominique Rosa Peltier De Liotta
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Lejla Adrovic
Croatia, Vinka Groseta
Curacao, Amada Beatrix Hernandez
Ethiopia, Genet Denboba Ogeto
Kazakhstan, Inessa Nazarova
Malawi, Queen Christie Tiembo
Romania, Roxana Ilie
Vietnam, Truong Thi May
Zambia, Esther Sitali Banda

Miss Botswana Tumisang Sebina was disqualified because she was deemed too short for the pageant’s height requirement.

Image courtesy of OPMB.

Here they are:

15 Finalists for Miss Earth 2009 Best in Swimsuit

Brazil, Larissa Ramos
Canada, Lateesha Khamila Ector
Colombia, Alejandra Castillo Múnera
Cuba, Jamillette Gaxiola
France, Magalie Audrey Thierry
Hungary, Korinna Kocsis
Malaysia, Madelyne Nandu
Mexico, Natalia Quiñónes Perez
Paraguay, Gabriela Mercedes Rejala
Philippines, Sandra Inez Seifert
Spain, Alejandra Echevarria
Switzerland, Graziella Rogers
Turks & Caicos, Alison Grace Capron
USA, Amy Diaz
Venezuela, Jessica Barboza

The winner for Best in Swimsuit will be announced tonight at the Fontana Leisure Park & Casino in Pampanga.

15 Finalists for Miss Earth 2009 Best in Evening Gown

Brazil, Larissa Ramos
Colombia, Alejandra Castillo Múnera
Cuba, Jamillette Gaxiola
Guam, Maria Luisa Santos
India, Shriya Kishore
Italy, Luna Isabella Voce
Korea, Park Ye-ju
Mexico, Natalia Quiñónes Perez
Paraguay, Gabriela Mercedes Rejala
Philippines, Sandra Seifert
Poland, Izabela Wilczek
Spain, Alejandra Echevarria
Thailand, Rujinan Phanseethum
USA, Amy Diaz
Venezuela, Jessica Barboza

The winner for Best in Evening Gown will be announced on November 16 at PAGCOR Grand Theater in Parañaque City.

Sandra was selected as one of the five finalists from Group 2 of the evening gown competition which was held at Greenbelt 5 in Makati City.

The 24 year-old African beauty (center), bested around 80 contestants by bagging the Miss Earth 2009 Best in National Costume award last November 4, 2009 at the Philippine Amazing Theater, Pasay City.

Miss Guam, Maria Luisa Santos, won Miss Pasigandahan, a title that advocates the rehabilitation of Pasig River. Miss Puerto Rico Dignelis Jimenez, on the other hand, won Miss Psalmstre New Placenta.

Image courtesy of Miss Earth.

More Miss Earth 2009 Updates:

– Press Presentation

– National Costume Competition Video

The coronation night of the 9th Miss Earth pageant will take place on November 22, 2009 at the Boracay Ecovillage Convention Center as organized by Carousel Productions & ABS-CBN.

Miss Earth 2009 Schedule of Activities

Major Activities

November 4 (10AM) Press Presentation:
Valle Verde 6, Pasig City

November 4 (4PM) National Costume Competition:
Amazing Philippines Theater, Manila

November 14 (7PM) Final Swimsuit Competition:
Fontana Leisure Park & Casino, Pampanga

November 16 (7PM) Final Evening Gown Competition:
PAGCOR Grand Theater, Parañaque

November 17 (7PM) Final Talent Competition:
Coron, Palawan

November 22 (7PM) Grand Coronation Night:
Boracay Ecovillage Resort & Convention Center

Robinsons Mall Tour & Fashion Show

November 6 (4PM) Robinsons Place Dasmariñas
November 7 (4PM) Robinsons Nova Market
November 8 (4PM) Robinsons Place Metroeast
November 13 (4PM) Robinsons Galleria
November 14 (4PM) Robinsons Starmills, Pampanga

Preliminary Events

Nov. 7 GROUP 1 Pre-Swimsuit Competition:
Golden Sunset Resort & Spa Calatagan, Batangas

Nov. 8 GROUP 3 Pre-Swimsuit Competition:
Central Country Estate, Inc. The Lakeshore

Nov. 12 GROUP 2 Pre-Swimsuit Competition:
Legazpi, Bicol

Nov. 9 GROUP 1 Pre-Talent Competition:
Amana Water Park Resort, Pandi, Bulacan

Nov. 9 GROUP 3 Pre-Talent competition:
Bacolod

Nov. 10 GROUP 2 Pre-Talent competition:
Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Nov. 7 GROUP 3 Pre-Evening Gown Competition:
Subic

Nov. 8 GROUP 1 Pre-Evening Gown Competition:
Splash Mountain Resort Hotel, Los Baños Laguna

Nov. 9 GROUP 2 Pre-Evening Gown Competition:
Greenbelt 5, Ayala

Abdul Wallace, 23, 6′0″, from Bohol

Adrian Harald Petry, 18, 5′11″, from Quezon City

Farzam Nasirian, 20, 6′0″, from Quezon City

Jamemark ‘James’ Versoza, 23, 6′0″, from Pasay City

Michael ‘Mike’ Manansala, 23, 6′2″, from Pampanga

Michael ‘Mike’ Acuña, 24, 6′2″, from Parañaque City

Raphael Grafil, 24, 5′11″, from Malate, Manila

Thomas Anthony ‘Anton’ Malko, 23, 6′2″, from Quezon City

1. Raphael Grafil

2. Nickoline John Mangoba

3. Adrian Harold Petry

4. Mark Christian ‘Ian’ Daniel

5. Francis Salazar

6. Mark Gargoles

7. Franco Ramos

8. Farzam Nasirian

9. Jamemark ‘James’ Versoza

10. Abdul Wallace

11. Peter Dee

12. Alvin De Joya

13. Thomas Anthony ‘Anton’ Malko

14. Michael ‘Mike’ Acuña

15. Michael ‘Mike’ Manansala