Miss World Megan Young Talks About The Pageant’s Controversy And Representing Philippines

By Riza Ornos 

Newly crowned Miss World Megan Young was spotted in London while touring around the city as she took pictures of some of London's hot spots including the Buckingham Palace, Thames, Lyceum Theater and the Big Ben. But one important stop of her tour on October 4 is BBC's Impact studio where she talks about the pageant's controversy and how it feels like to be flying the flag of the Philippines.

Mishal Husain, BBC's Impact host asked Young what it feels like when her name was called as the the new Miss World:

"It was surreal actually, because I was already preparing myself that oh maybe I won't I get it. So i was preparing myself because I just want to have that acceptance that if I win it then it'll be spectacular, if I don't then it's fine with me. I want to be a good sport that night," the 23-year old Miss Philippines revealed.

Young is the first Filipina to win the elusive Miss World crown and her victory inspires a lot of Filipinos that even after a week of winning the crown she is still the talk of the town.

"It's heart warming for me, because we've had a lot of issues going on for the past month back home with the tragedies that have been happening and for me to be that spark of hope and inspiration back home, for me to be being able to uplift the spirits of my fellow Filipinos is an honor."

Before joining the prestigous beauty contest, Young thinks that pageants such as Miss World is superficial and did not see that essence of her joining such pageant. Until she got to know the Miss World's main focus which is "Beauty With A Purpose," a charity that reach out to the people and to the less previledge.

When asked what she can do to help her country Philippines, the new Miss World thinks that starting small is the way to make a solid impact.

"It's great to start small because you have that foundation of getting to where you wanna be and I think I rather start small in helping, encourage people and putting that hope that there's tomorrow and they dont have to suffer and they don't have to think negatively its always that positve outlook that gets people to evolve," Young quipped.

Host Mishal Husain also tells Megan that she will be a part of BBC's #100 Women, a new season programming that highlights on women's lives around the world that will feature more on women's voices and stories. Husain also pointed out about the equal rights of men and women in the Philippines where she asked Young how it feels like growing up in the Philippines as a young woman.

"One thing  I can assure you is that I did not feel that there was a difference between.. you know that there is superior between men and women, and I find that really great because you know were based, were actually they make us grow in a way that its based on skill, if you can do semething, if you can show people that you're  capable of doing something then you'll succeed in life its not about who you are, like your a man or a woman or you have a different preferences in life or you know if you live a certain way in life it about how you can achieve things," Young adds.