MANILA, Philippines – This year, the tough 6 candidates in the Miss Universe pageant faced the question and answer portion.
The countries from Colombia, France, Thailand, and Haiti requested interpreters and they only have 30 seconds to answer.
Here are the questions to the candidates and their response.
MISS PHILIPPINES – MAXINE MEDINA
Question: What is the most significant change you’ve seen in the world in the last 10 years?
Answer: In the last 10 years of being here in the world, I saw all the people bringing in one event like this in Miss Universe. It’s something big to us that we are one. As one nation, we are all together. Thank you. Maraming salamat po.
MISS KENYA – MARY ESTHER WERE
Question: Arguably, no United States president has had a more active first 10 days in office. What are you most excited about and what most concerns you when it comes to the presidency of Donald Trump?
Answer: Politics…let me just start again. Donald Trump, having been elected as president of the United States may not have been the choice of many people living in the United States because of the divided support system for the outgoing president Barack Obama, who was supporting an upcoming woman president, who was supposed to be a woman president, Hillary Clinton. So so many people oppose his position, but I feel that once he took up his position, he was able to unify the entire nation.
MISS THAILAND – CHALITA SUANSANE
Question: Name a current or past leader whom you admire, and why.
Answer: Mabuhay Philippines! For me, the King of Thailand. His Majesty has been working tirelessly on behalf of the Thai people ever since I was born. For all the Thai people, His Majesty has been like a father to us. Thank you very much.
MISS FRANCE – IRIS MITTENAERE
Question: Given today’s worldwide refugee crisis, do countries have an obligation to accept refugees or do they have a right to close their borders?
Answer: The country should have the right to open or close their borders. Throughout the world, people can choose to have the borders open or closed. In Europe we have open borders. In France we want to have the most globalization that we can, we want to have the biggest exchange of people that we can. Maybe someday that will change, but now we have open borders. Having open borders allows us to travel more through the world, and to find out more about what’s out there in the world.
MISS HAITI – RAQUEL PELISSIER
Question: On January 21st, an estimated 4.8 million people marched worldwide for human rights, women’s rights and other issues. If you were able to participate, what would you have been marching for?
Answer: One of the women I admire in the world is Eleanor Roosevelt because she fought so much for human rights and I feel like that’s what we need in the world. We are just one. A hundred thousand years ago, 6 species of human lived in the world. Now we are just one. And we all need each other, and we need to respect each other.
MISS COLOMBIA – ANDREA TOVAR
Question: Why do you believe that violence is so prevalent in today’s society and what can we do about it?
Answer: Well, I come from a country that does have violence, and this is my reference point. And although there are presidents who don’t get along well with others, we work together to be able to unite. Campaigns, respect and inclusivity to be able to have a social transformation that will educate our children. Thank you very much.
