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| Shiela Teodoro DeForest |
ECO International was Shiela’s second international pageant in less than a year. She represented Southeast Asia in the 2019 Mrs. Globe pageant held in Shenzhen, China, where she placed among the 15 semi-finalists out of 65 entries.
In Las Vegas for the ECO International pageant, Shiela shone bright with her thoughtfully designed wardrobe, as well as her track record of volunteer and advocacy efforts to win the illustrious crown.
The runway model earned her bachelor’s degree in Tourism from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She has modeled in Dubai, UAE; Doha, Qatar; Vancouver and Toronto, Canada and Singapore. Currently, she is a TV Commercial and print model with Wilhelmina Modeling Agency, Denver, Colorado. She recently walked in New York Fashion Week SS2020 for Kandama, a Filipino social enterprise company showcasing heritage fabrics made by women weavers from Kiangan, Ifugao.
In her role as Mrs. ECO International, Shiela advocates primarily for environmental causes, sustainability, while also speaking up on women empowerment and entrepreneurship, and against child abuse and trafficking. In a Q&A with Colors of Influence, Shiela talks about her passion for environmental advocacy and pride of her Filipino roots.
Why is winning the Mrs. Eco International title significant for you?
It’s significant to me because it’s a pageant that supports sustainable and environmental causes. We are here because of the health of our planet. Climate change is a real threat. In my travels, I’ve seen the single-use plastic problem prevalent here and all over the world.
I see this title as “beauty with a purpose.” Having another person to advocate for Mother Nature with a pageant crown opens up many opportunities to discuss the issues. With a title, it’s easier to approach organizations and generate awareness for the cause.
I didn’t realize the power of pageantry until I became a queen. There’s more to pageantry than just being beautiful onstage. It entails a lot of hard work and dedication. Having a platform helps to generate awareness for a number of causes, for example, the environment, anti-poverty, anti-trafficking, and more.
I had been volunteering for sometime, and I was able to capitalize on my contacts when I became Mrs. ECO Philippines. I was able to connect with a number of nonprofits such as Haribon Foundation, World Vision, and Threads of Hope, which is based in Wisconsin, but runs projects in Mindoro. I was able to spend time in Mindoro with the people who make the accessories that are sold through the social enterprise. The nonprofit was started to help alleviate poverty and stop child trafficking in Puerto Galera.
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| Tree planting at Baguio City, Burnham Park |
Why is advocating for the environment important to you?
It’s very important to me because the problems we have are primarily caused by our own activities. We need to be able to lessen our effect on the environment.
The Philippines is listed among the countries that will be affected most by rising sea levels. In Asia, the Philippines is among the top countries for plastic pollution. Six years ago, my husband and I got married in Bohol. A couple years ago we went back for vacation and a strong typhoon hit the area. It was so sad to see the beach littered with fishing lines, plastic bags, bottles, toys. Improper waste disposal is a huge problem. Recycling facilities are not as readily available. I joined a coastal cleanup with Haribon Foundation at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco Tourism Area (LPPCHEA). We picked up tons of garbage along the beach: toothbrushes, diapers, tires, shampoo sachets and other micro plastics. I think that everyone should participate in at least one cleanup so they can see the problem first-hand.
What is your global platform as Mrs. Eco International, and what is the single most important message that you want to impart?
The charity arm of Mrs. ECO International is World Missions Outreach, a nonprofit based in Nicaragua that seeks to address poverty, social injustice and social unrest. The pageant raises money for World Missions Outreach to fund women’s empowerment programs.
My personal platform is raising awareness about minimization or elimination of single-use plastics. Plastics are everywhere and they last forever. We can recycle, reduce use and employ proper disposal. There are ways for plastic products to “live on” and become other products. For my national costume at the Mrs. ECO International pageant, I worked with a nonprofit in Pasig City, Philippines called KILUS, a women’s organization that upcycles plastics to create accessories, wallets, jewelry and other products. My costume was decorated with upcycled empty juice packs. The rosettes are upcycled t-shirts.
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| Visiting the Global Seed Savers project in Benguet |
What were some of the most important lessons you learned about the environmental movement in the Philippines?
The grassroots movement is alive and very active. Of course, government agencies play a role too, but the movement is strong due to the NGOs (non-governmental organizations). They create awareness for the population, they do outreach work in schools and communities.
Here are some of the NGOs I worked with, a nonprofit called EcoWaste Coalition, which recently got a USAid grant for waste management projects. I attended a briefing where they discussed how certain barangays (communities) live among mountains of electronic waste: televisions, washing machines, computers. Children dismantle TVs and other appliances for parts that contain heavy metals. All parts that are not salvaged remain in the dump, and heavy metals seep through the soil and pollute the water supply. While there are authorized recyclers, there are many others that do not follow proper handling of e-waste.
World Vision Philippines launched Waste to Wages project, a partnership with USAid and the Plastic Bank, improves livelihood opportunities for informal waste collectors and promotes increased household compliance on waste segregation and recycling. The project implements community-based solutions to increase the volume of plastics recycled in the low-income neighborhood of Barangay2 Baseco (population 60,000) in Metro Manila, which reduces leakage of plastic waste into the adjacent river and the ocean.
Haribon Foundation is a pioneer in Philippine environmental organization founded in 1972. They advocate for biodiversity conservation through reforestation projects, marine conservation, bird conservation and environmental education.
How do you bring your culture as a Filipina to the crown?
I’m grateful for the support of our community, and as you know, Filipinos love pageants! As Mrs. ECO Philippines, I wore traditional fabrics at press rounds, appearances and my video. I’d wear a terno and fashion accessories from indigenous communities.
I’m thankful for the chance to promote Filipino-made products and designs. I couldn’t have made it without the support of friends from the fashion industry like Rafe Totengco/RafeNY from Bacolod and New York City; Jor-el Espina from Iloilo City; Adante Leyesa from Lipa City, Batangas and Mabaysay by Eva Marie from Basey, Samar. In wearing their creations, I’m helping gain exposure for indigenous design and sustainable fashion to the international market.
At the pageant, I won Best ECO National Costume, Best ECO Video, as well as Charitable Giver of the Year award. I didn’t realize that I raised the most charitable dollars for World Missions Outreach.
If you could change anything about the world we live in now, what would that be?
I wish everyone would care more. Nowadays, most people are focused on themselves, instead of looking outside of their own interests and ask: “What can I do?” The environment needs help. Each of us need to be more selfless, and more open to doing more for others and the planet.