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Two Filipino candidates captured second place when they competed in separate prestigious pageants in London and here in the country last Saturday night.

They were fashion model Stephany Stefanowitz, Filipino-German, of Quezon City, who competed in the Miss Earth beauty pageant in the Philippines; and Andrew Wolff, Filipino-Briton, who joined the 7th Mister World (Search for the Most Desirable Man) in London, England.

At the 12th Miss Earth beauty contest in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Stefanowitz won Miss Earth Fire, which is equivalent to first runner-up.

Stefanowitz, 22, placed second to crowd favorite Teresa Fajksova of the Czech Republic, who won the 2012 Miss Earth title.

Fajksova, a student, succeeded Olga Alava, of Ecuador. She stands 5’11, weighs 125 lbs and measures 34-25-36.

Runners-up were Miss Brazil Camila Brant, Miss Earth Fire (third runner-up); and Miss Venezuela Osmariel Villalobos, Miss Earth Water (second runner-up).

They competed in evening gown and swimsuit categories. But the rankings of the four finalists were based on their answers in the final question-and-answer portion in which they were asked, “What would you consider as your defining moment as a woman?’’

When it was Fajksova’s turn in the final round, she initially apologized to the crowd that she does not know what the question was all about. “I’m so sorry that I don’t know the question, so I will just try to give a message. We have to protect Mother Earth. She gave us everything we need in life and we should respect her. Thank you. I’m so sorry.’’ The judges gave her the thumbs up and she was crowned Miss Earth.

Fajskova earlier vowed to create “learn, see and do’’ project to promote the protection of Mother Earth.

“I would create the ‘learn, see, and do’ project. This project will involve convincing and influencing governments around the world to make environmental studies compulsory in early education. It has to be fun to make it easy for kids to learn about the benefits. The curriculum would also need to include activities, so kids get to see the difference. If children learn about the environment from an early age, they are more likely to continue this behavior in their adult years,” she said.

Others who made the Top 16 semifinals were candidates from Russia, South Africa, Germany, Korea, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Scotland, Costa Rica, Poland, Japan, and USA. Candidates from Turkey and Thailand who won in almost all of the challenges were completely shut out in the grand finals. Eighty candidates joined this year’s pageant.

Hours after the Miss Earth pageant, Wolff, who plays as a flanker for the Philippine Volcanoes rugby team, won second place in the 7th Mister World contest at the Kent County Showground, Kent, England.

Wolff, 27, also won the Mister World Multi-Media Award. He was also one of the Top 3 semi-finalists in the Mister World Sports fast-track competition, won by Leo Delaney of Ireland, also third placer (or equivalent to second runner-up).

“Philippines’ won the Multimedia Challenge with his energetic and engaging creations on his social media pages. He was deemed to have created the most exciting, informative and inventive news stories,” organizers said, in the pageant’s website.

Crowd favorite Francisco Escobar of Colombia was crowned Mister World 2012.

The other winners of special awards were Frankie Cena, of Canada, Mister World Talent; Vanja Grgec, Croatia, Mister World Extreme Challenge; and Tru ong Nam Thanh, Vietnam, Mister World Fashion and Style Challenge.

Other candidates who made the Top 10 were bets from Peru, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, England, Lebanon and Vietnam.

Wolff describes himself as extremely competitive person. His interests are business and sports. He said that his proudest moment was beating South Korea to earn a spot in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens Final in Russia, the first time for the Philippines to join the sports competition.

The athlete-model also wants to become an established sports event organizer, build on his current business he has set up, and also to finish his degree in Finance.

At least 48 candidates competed in the male contest this year. Held every two years, the Mister World contest is owned by the Miss World Organization, which also stages the annual Miss World beauty contest, the longest-running pageant in history. Kamal Ibrahim, of Ireland was the pageant’s winner in 2010.

So far, the highest ranking that the Philippines has achieved in the Miss World beauty contest was also first-runner up, won by Evangeline Pascual (1973) and Gwendolyne Ruais (2011).

(Story courtesy of Robert R. Requintina of the Manila Bulletin)