Binasag na ni Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco ang kanyang katahimikan matapos akusahang may kinalaman siya sa desisyon ng Miss Earth Organization na hindi payagang mag-farewell walk si Miss Philippines Earth 2025 Joy Barcoma.
Sa ginanap na Miss Philippines Earth 2026 sa Malitbog, Bukidnon, noong June 27, 2026, hindi nasunod ang tradisyon na ang previous titleholder ang magpapasa ng korona sa bagong beauty queen.
Ang nagputong ng korona sa nanalong si Rina Andrea delos Santos ng Ballesteros, Cagayan, ay si Miss Earth 2025 Natalie Puskinova ng Czech Republic.
Sa pamamagitan ng Facebook nitong Martes ng gabi, June 30, 2026, nagbahagi si Karen ng isang mahabang paglilinaw tungkol sa mga isyung ipinupukol sa kanya.
Panimula niya: "Purpose has always been my drive before, during and after the crown.
"I can never control how people react but I surely know how to respond in any or every situation.
"I always choose the path of diplomacy and professionalism. That is how I was honed as a person.
"It is disappointing to see #FakeNews rampantly spread especially on social media.
"Technology/social media is moral neutral; there is nothing wrong with the tool itself but it can be utilized by anyone for good or bad intent and even furthering one’s personal agenda.
"Disseminating the right, factual information is crucial, so we have to do our due diligence in verifying details and using wise discernment before jumping into conclusions based purely on speculation."
Malaki raw ang utang na loob niya sa Miss Earth Organization kaya palagi siyang available para sa kanila.
"I will never be where I am apart from the Miss Earth organization. They will always have my love and respect.
"So every time I get invited to host or judge locally or internationally, I show up as an expression of my gratefulness and appreciation for the organization.
"Witnessing a candidate give her all, put in the hard work, and prove that she is worthy of the crown is something I enjoy being a part of."
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KAREN denies she did not want other FILIPINAS TO WIN THE CROWN
Wala raw kinalaman si Karen sa desisyon ng Miss Philippines Earth Organization na hindi mag-farewell walk si Joy.
Wala rin daw siyang magawa dahil "final" na raw ang desisyon ng organisasyon.
Saad niya: "To clarify some rumors going around,
"I do not have any position/ power in the organization to make any decisions. I do not know the production, program, format or questions ahead of time for the coronation night.
"The day before the MPE coronation was the only time I learned that Joy wouldn’t have one. I can’t do anything but to respect the organization’s decision because it was already final."
Apat na Miss Philippines Earth titleholders na ang nagwagi sa Miss Earth pageant.
Ito ay sina Karla Henry (2008), Jamie Herrell (2014), Angelia Ong (2015), at si Karen noong 2017.
Kaugnay nito, inaakusahan ng ilang netizens si Karen na ayaw raw nitong may manalo pang Filipina queens sa Miss Earth.
Pagtanggi ni Karen: "It’s not true that I don’t want another Philippine representative to win the Miss Earth crown.
"The reason why I was at the coronation night of Miss Earth last year was to personally support and congratulate Joy if ever she won the Miss Earth crown, because I knew she was capable of winning.
"When I won in 2017, all the past queens were there to support me, and it meant the world seeing them all there.
"I wanted that for Joy if ever she won the crown, even if it was just one former Miss Earth from the Philippines present.
"All the past queens had important commitments to attend to, which was completely understandable, that’s why they were not there last year."
KAREN ON WHY JOY DID NOT MAKE IT TO TOP 4 OF MISS EARTH 2025
Ipinaliwanag din ni Karen ang kanyang analysis noong Miss Earth 2025 kung saan hindi nakapasok sa Top 4 si Joy.
Naging viral ang pahayag ni Karen noon na hindi maaaring sumagot kapag hindi naman tinatanong dahil may posibilidad na akalaing bastos ka kahit hindi naman.
Iba raw ang paggamit ng social media at ang paghahayag ng opinyon sa pageant stage.
Tila may kinalaman ito sa pagiging outspoken ni Joy sa mga isyu sa lipunan.
Nasa TikTok account pa ni Karen ang nasabing video.
@karenibasco Replying to @ALJU ???????????????? ?? Asnwering this based on my perspective as a former Miss Earth. #missearth #pageantry #beautyqueen #qanda #fyp ? original sound - Karen Ibasco
Nilinaw ni Karen na ang nag-viral na video niya ay hindi pag-atake kay Joy, at hindi nakaapekto sa placing nito sa Miss Earth 2025.
Saad ng beauty queen: "The video that went viral after the ME 2025 coronation was not to attack Joy in any way, as it was completely misinterpreted by many.
"The decision was already made in the coronation night and it could no longer be changed.
"As an image consultant and a past Miss Earth winner, I analyzed what lessons we could have learned from her performance in order to have more crowns for the Philippines in the future."
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KAREN ON LATEST TIKTOK POST
Inaakusahan din si Karen na nagparinig umano kay Joy noong February 2026 dahil sa TikTok post niyang "Essential how to’s in pageants."
@karenibasco Essential how to’s in pageants #typ #foryoupage #learning #beautyqueen #missearth2017 ? original sound - Karen Ibasco
Ayon sa isang post sa Reddit, "Hindi talaga siya tumitigil magparinig kay Joy Barcoma. Bakit kaya? Pero hindi naman niya kaya i-turn on ang comment section niya. Baka nakakalimutan niya na nawalan ng credibility ang Miss Earth when she won. Haha"
Reaksiyon ni Karen dito: "Also my latest post was not to speak ill of Joy in any way. Never did I and never will I do that.
"I carefully craft content to post for the purpose of growth and learning. They are my personal take on things, not toward somebody."
Pakiusap pa niya, "For everyone, kindly know all sides to every story first before coming to a conclusion. Never base anything on assumption or speculation."
Mensahe naman niya kay Miss Earth Philippines 2026 Rina Andrea delos Santos: "To our Miss Philippines Earth 2026, Rina, congratulations and may you have a fruitful reign."
At kay Joy: "To Joy, we may not have the same journey but I wish you well and all the best in your future endeavors."
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JOY BARCOMA ON NOT BEING ABLE TO DO HER FINAL WALK
Kahit hindi pinayagang mag-farewell walk sa Miss Earth Philippines 2026 pageant, idinaan ni Joy sa Facebook ang kanyang farewell speech.
Aniya: "This journey also reminded me that support doesn’t always come from every corner, even within the spaces you represent. But despite that, I chose grace, respect, and gratitude. That is how I carried this title, and that is how I choose to leave it."
Nagpasalamat din siya sa organisasyon at sa lahat ng kanyang mga naging tagahanga.
"To the Miss Philippines Earth Organization, maraming maraming salamat po. Thank you for entrusting me with a title that became so much more than a crown.
"To everyone, I hope we continue supporting Miss Philippines Earth. This platform has never been about a queen. It has always been about a mission greater than ourselves. A mission to protect our planet, uplift our communities, and inspire others to become stewards of the Earth. Let us also support the next queen the same way you have all supported and loved my journey."
Pagtatapos niya: "Tonight, I may not have a farewell walk.
"But perhaps that is the greatest reminder that a legacy is never measured by the number of steps she takes on stage but by footprints she leaves in the lives of others.
"Hindi natatapos sa entablado ang pagboses.
"At hindi limitado ng korona ang adbokasiya.
"Thank you, Miss Philippines Earth.
"Thank you, everyone, for changing my life.
"I will always and forever be an Earth Queen."
Read: Joy Barcoma to skip farewell walk at MPE 2026 coronation night
Hanggang ngayon ay wala pang inilalabas na pahayag ang producer ng Miss Earth, ang Carousel Productions na pinamumunuan ni Lorraine Schuck, tungkol sa desisyon nilang huwag mag-farewell walk si Joy.
Read: Joy Barcoma reacts to speculations amid no-farewell-walk issue