Miss Universe Philippines 2020 candidate Ivanna Kamil Pacis of Makati City wants her advocacy to be wide-reaching and not just localized. Thus, she believes that zeroing in on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Awareness is something that is citizen-blind. It can affect anyone regardless of age or disposition especially in the middle of the COVID19 crisis and ECQ that has enveloped the country like a hurricane.
Ivanna believes that every Filipino home should be well informed about how they can help and reach out to their family members or friends who silently battle with depression. She also pushes for the breaking of the stigma in the Philippines associated with regular consultation or check up with a psychiatrist. It should be normalized and be a less of a subject of societal scrutiny. She has also been proactive in using her social media platform to inform people about the importance of taking care of one’s mental health during this pandemic.
Meanwhile, Ivanna partnered with a nationwide digital fundraising campaign that aims to assist youth-led organizations in giving aids to 20 Mindanaoan communities affected by our current crisis which is Kapit Mindanao. She may not be from there but the more important thing is that nobody is left behind – thus, the official hashtag #BawatSulok.
With regards to preparations for Miss Universe Philippines, Ivanna has been working out everyday and trying to get back in shape. Discipline is key, and one that she tries to instill in her system the best way that she could.
Miss Universe Philippines 2020 candidate Caroline Veronilla of Misamis Oriental wanted so much to step outside and participate in volunteering activities around her province during this COVID19 crisis. 
But with the safety of her big sister Lenie Rose (right photo, middle) – who is a cancer patient – as top priority, she doesn’t want to put their home at risk by contacting the virus through any of her potentially constant in-and-out movements. The latter is scheduled to have her Stem Cell Tranplant this week and Carol will be her donor for the procedure.
Be that as it may, this candidate’s advocacy is Children’s Rights. She has been working as Donor Education Specialist for World Vision – a global humanitarian organization devoted to improving the lives of children – for the past five years. She has seen how any form of support and provision of basic needs can transform the life of a child. If it can be done for every vulnerable young ones, they will have the capacity to break the cycle of poverty and achieve the dreams they have for themselves and their families.
She is also supporting Kapit Mindanao, an online fundraising campaign that supports organizations working in 20 Mindanaoan communities. The goal is to raise P1 million for partner organizations that are providing PPEs for frontliners and food packs and sanitation kits for families and indigenous communities. The partners are present in areas as far as Zamboanga del Norte, Sarangani, Agusan del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi.
