TRANSCRIPT: Miss World PH Tracy Maureen Perez advocates for single mothers in her Beauty with a Purpose project
Miss World has announced Philippines' Tracy Maureen Perez as part of the top 10 of the pageant's Beauty With A Purpose round!
But before advancing to the top 10, the Cebuana beauty beat out Mexico's Karolina Vidales in the Head-to-Head Challenge where she gave an impassioned speech about her Beauty with a Purpose project.
For this challenge, Perez chose to advocate for something near and dear to her heart—single mothers. Read the full transcript of her presentation below.
"Para kay nanay. For my mother: A single mother’s journey to love—that is my beauty with a purpose project and it’s dedicated to my late mother and to all the single mothers in my community."
"Being a mother is the most important job. It’s the most important role but oftentimes, they are neglected. We fight so much, we talk so much about women empowerment so why don’t we start with empowering our mothers, most especially those who go through so much difficulty to raise their families all on their own?"
"Here in Miss World, we are given the chance to fight for causes and open up meaningful conversations about problems that are otherwise neglected. Here I am, hoping to bring light and to spark positive changes in the lives of single mothers."
"Back in my community of Cordova, Cebu, there are 2,000 single mothers so imagine how many more there are in the rest of the world. But they are not given the support, the help they need."
"With my project, we give them a safe space, a community for them to feel loved, to feel heard and understood. More importantly, we give them continuous BPO and computer training that they can use to equip them with skills to land better opportunities out there especially amidst the pandemic."
"It gives them hope that they can still go out there and learn new things and build a good life for their families because that is what I want for them and what they deserve. That is what I would have wanted for my mom, too, if she were still here. That is my commitment and that is my dream. Thank you."
In a video by Miss World, Perez shared that she was single-handedly raised by her mother Chona who she lost 11 years ago. But meeting with other single mothers inspired the Cebuana beauty to advocate for them for her Beauty with a Purpose project.
Aside from the Philippines, USA, Madagascar, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, England, and Czech Republic are part of the Miss World 2021 Top 10.
Perez is currently in Puerto Rico for the pageant and is vying to become the second Filipina to snag the Miss World crown after Megan Young. The Miss World 2021 coronation night is scheduled for Dec. 17 (Philippine time).