I am very attached to the place I was born in and so many of my ancestors have lived, worked and moved on to a better life. Therefore, my environmental project is centered on my province. My work with the national company which distributes water to the whole county has made me aware of how potable water is being wasted. Therefore I want to bring alternatives to my province, mainly in how to use the abundant rains which we have for nine months of the year for different tasks that do not require potable water: cleaning, gardening, washing and others.

Panama is a small country with only 3.5 million inhabitants. Its life as a republic is also recent as it gained its independence in 1903. But, in this short time, Panama has established itself as an international transport center, with different local and international airlines and more than 6,000 merchant ships with the Panamanian flag. Panama is also a dynamic financial center and its Free Zone is the second largest in the world and the largest in America. Visitors, investors and residents are welcome as we have so much to offer: not only our tropical forests abundant in plants and animals but also our beautiful beaches on both the Pacific and the Atlantic sides. If you are in a shopping mood, you will find goods from all across the world and at good prices. If you are attracted to nightlife, we have our casinos, restaurants with local and international cuisine, places where you can dance nonstop to the Latin beat. We also offer our museums, and our Canal which is now being expanded and admired for its intricate engineering. Panama, as a crossroad of the world, has attracted so many people that Panamanians as of today are a rich blend of races which has produced unique individuals who are proud but hospitable, hardworking but passionate about the culture, enthusiastic about the future but recognizes the abundance of resources that our Mother Earth has given us.

My growing up years were filled with happiness among my parents, sisters and grandparents who lived next door. We had a big yard with lots of trees and plants. I remember our visits to my grandfather’s farm in La Pintada where I would go horseback riding and eat my fill of mangoes and oranges. My sisters and I felt very important because we were given the task of feeding the newborn calves. We were a healthy, harmonious family where all the adults taught us good manners, the virtue of hard work and the importance of giving thanks for all we had.

My grandfather was the head of the family and he was loved and respected by all. He taught me by example the need to fight and even make sacrifices to obtain my goals in life. He used to tell us that nothing was for free in this life and the harder we worked the nearer we were to reaching our goals. He would add that the obstacles that were in our path and our occasional failures should only make us persevere until the diploma was in our hands or until the job was completed or in my case, until the crown is on my head.

Although it is a very sad memory, my most memorable moment was when my grandfather whom all his grandchildren called “Payayo” was in his last moments. He gathered all his grandchildren around him, told us how he loved us all and that he would always be with us deep within our hearts. He also added that he was certain that we would all become responsible and loving adults. I have shared all my joys, achievements and triumphs with him because he was the most lasting influence in my life.

My environmental advocacy is to help my community achieve a rational use of water. As Panama has been blessed with many rivers, there is a tendency to pilfer water and potable water is used for everything. By using up to 60% of rain water for our necessities, we would not use water sparingly on plants. My work as Assistant Manager at the Water distribution national office has made me aware of this growing problem.

Conservation is the operative word. Let us conserve all our resources which we have inherited from our forebears and which we must pass on to future generations.

I was born in a rural environment and very near the earth without being fully conscious of how we much we depended on it to survive. Winning the Miss Earth crown has opened my eyes to the problems we are facing. I recall my idyllic years within a tropical forest with all kinds of farm animals, and I have witnessed the devastation caused when Mother Earth is not cared for properly: floods, death of animals, loss of resources, poverty and hunger. This crown is a responsibility and I consider it my duty to work towards a greater awareness of the damage in our environment.