She also proudly campaigned for the protection of the country’s forests and ecosystems.
On Saturday, May 23 (Manila time), Gabbi Carballo competed in the Miss Eco International 2026 pageant that was held in Alexandria, Egypt.
During which, a total of 45 delegates from all over the world vied for the crown, which will be passed on by previous year’s winner, Filipina beauty queen Alexie Brooks.
Carballo was able to make it the first cut and entered the Top 21. She also wore her gown inspired by the Sierra Madre mountain range in Luzon.
In an Instagram post, she shared: “As someone from Cebu who has experienced the fear and trauma brought by devastating storms, this costume is deeply personal to me.”
“When Super Typhoon Uwan threatened Luzon earlier this year, I feared for my friends in Manila. But they were safe because standing before them was the Sierra Madre,” she continued.
The Sierra Madre is more than a mountain range, Gabbi emphasized, adding that it is the country’s “natural shield” that silently weakens powerful typhoons before they reach millions of lives.
“This costume is a tribute to nature’s quiet strength and a reminder that when we destroy our forests and ecosystems, we destroy the very things protecting us,” she described her attire. “May we learn to protect nature the same way it has always protected us.”
However, in the next cut, Carballo was no longer included, ending her stint in the semis.
Eventually, the crown was won Palmira Ruiz of Meixco, with the first runner-up being Ukraine’s Mishel Shotropa; Australia’s Adriana Gravador as second runner-up; Indonesia’s Nickyta Aurellia as third runner-up; and Brazil’s Joana Camargo as fourth runner-up.