BAGUIO'S PRIDE. Roi Nevee "Nivea" Comanda, 18, was crowned 2018 Miss Baguio Tourism on October 7. She said that responsible tourism must be observed by all, especially the youth when visiting places by treating the place like their own home that must be preserved and made clean. (Contributed photo)
BAGUIO CITY -- Newly-crowned Miss Baguio Tourism 2018 Roi Neeve "Nivea" Comanda is pushing for youth character building and environment protection to maintain the city's creative image and promote responsible tourism.
"We should be responsible to the places we visit by helping maintain their environment like how we throw garbage properly in our homes and how we keep it clean " Comanda, who prefers to be called by her nickname, said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
Nivea, an Accountancy and Business Administration freshman at the University of the Cordilleras who completed her high school on academic scholarship, explained that instilling self-discipline among the locals and tourist will help sustain the city's environment.
"We all enjoy Baguio, let us help each other make Baguio clean and green," she said.
Nivea's environmental protection advocacy tops tree-planting activities aimed at cleaning the air and preventing soil erosion and landslides.
She, however, opposed the idea of closing Baguio to tourists for rehabilitation, which was done in Boracay.
"We can not deny the fact that Baguio has been providing resources for its locals to sustain their needs, what matters most is the families' livelihood that will be affected if the closure pushes through," she said.
Aside from being crowned Miss Tourism who will represent Baguio in the "Aliwan" Festival of the Department of Tourism, she also brought home three special awards: Best in Evening Gown, Miss "Yamang Bukid", and Miss Photogenic award. (PNA)
