18 November 2014 – Reigning Miss Universe Gabriela Isler vowed that she will use her title and continue helping the survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan after seeing their plight during her recent trip to Coron, Palawan, one of the provinces hit by the strongest typhoon in recorded history.

During a private event co-organized by the Philippine Consulate General in New York, Miss Universe Organization and Dutch development agency Cordaid last November 12 at the Philippine Center, Gabriela said during her speech, “After I finished my studies I wondered what I would be doing in my life, the Miss Venezuela Pageant came and then later on I was crowned Miss Universe. That was one of the happiest moments of my life! When I had the opportunity to help the people of Coron, Palawan, especially the Banuang Daan community, I knew this is what I want to do in life- to help people!” 

The Venezuelan beauty queen recalled how respectful, unselfish and welcoming the people were during her visit to Coron. “They have no food, but they still made a big meal for me. I had to ask them to eat the meal with me. They did not have electricity, clean water or even homes, but they made sure I felt at home. I will definitely continue my work to help them,” added the teary-eyed Ms. Isler.

The Miss Universe Organization and Cordaid have partnered to create a global fund that will raise awareness and money for regions in the Philippines struggling to recover from the devastating effects of the typhoon. The two international organizations will call attention to the needs of projects that are essential to the country’s recovery.

“The Philippines is home to our biggest and most passionate fan base, which is so meaningful to the Miss Universe family,” explained Paula Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. “The country was hit by Yolanda the night before our 2013 Miss Universe telecast and together with Cordaid, we will raise awareness and funds for long-term recovery aid to build, and rebuild, flourishing communities,” added Shugart. 

Cordaid began its recovery response and operations immediately after Yolanda struck, focusing on all phases of relief strategy with the protection and safety of women and children as a primary objective. A mission of the Miss Universe Organization is to empower women to serve as role models throughout their communities and across the globe. 

Cordaid assisted vulnerable communities not only to build safer homes, and restore water and sanitation facilities, but also to build back better and become resilient with emergency preparedness plans.

“Haiyan is not an incident, it's going to happen more often, and let's spend our money wisely and investing capacity of communities,” Cordaid's Dutch Economist Jan Willem Wegdam, said during his presentation.  Wegdam added, “So go bottom up, train people, make people aware, empower people, that's the way to go and that's the best investment we can make.”

Spending a good amount of time in the Philippines, Wegdam said he has learned not only that toilets are known as comfort rooms in the Philippines, but these typhoon-resilient comfort rooms make a strong shelter from the storm.  Wegdam said, “It has been shown that a lot of people during the typhoon were actually seeking refuge in their comfort rooms because that was the strongest building, building a comfort room is cheaper than building a house.”

Being the first event of the Consulate General to commemorate the first year anniversary of Haiyan, it was an opportunity for Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon to apprise the audience of the Philippine Government’s rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts. He reported the President’s approval of the Php 68-billion Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP), an 8.000-page Action Plan outlining implementation of 25,000 specific plans, programs and activities to rebuild and rehabilitate the affected areas in the course of one and a half years, or until 2016. 

Consul General De Leon likewise acknowledged the US Northeast Filipino community’s contribution in the form of Build-A-Shelter Project (BASP), a community-led partnership with Gawad Kalinga to build villages in Giporlos, Hernani and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar and Tanauan, Leyte.  The BASP has gathered the required funds and now is in the process of completing the homes for the four villages committed.

At the closing of the program, Miss Universe urged the guests to help in funding their mission to Coron.  More information on how to help may be accessed through www.cordaid.org/missuniverse. END