Beauty queen Yllana Marie Aduana speaks at UN Global Conference in Bangkok

Filipino beauty queen and environmental advocate Yllana Marie Aduana recently delivered a speech at the United Nations’ “Seventh Global Conference: Climate & SDG Synergies,” in Bangkok, Thailand last June 29 and 30.

Yllana's speeches reflected her experience three years ago at the Fourth Global Conference at the UN Headquarters in New York City. She recalled even then, it was emphasized repeatedly that the world was still far from achieving the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The former Miss Earth Philippines lamented that, three years later, progress still feels slow and the situation remains largely unchanged. However, she also pointed out a positive development in the Philippines.

“In my beautiful country,  since 2023, there has been a steady increase on the (Sustainable Development Goals) SDG awareness, which I am really, really proud of.”

The 27-year-old also explained that as a beauty queen and advocate, she remains committed to strengthening climate education, especially for children and the Filipino youth.

In another video, she said hearing other speakers at the conference motivated her and gave her valuable insights to bring back to her country. 

As part of the youth, she emphasized, “It is our crucial role to ensure that the needs of the people today will be met and also ensuring that the needs of the future generation will not be compromised as well.’

She also stressed the importance of upholding the principle of “leaving no one behind,” especially in the context of ongoing conflicts and war.

Following the conference, she posted a series of photos on Instagram from the event, where she wore a blue Filipiniana that matched the color of the UN flag. 

In her caption, she reiterated that the most important responsibility of their generation is to meet present needs without compromising the future. She wrote, “And the straightforward solution to that is Sustainability as it aims to transform our way from linear to completely circular. In this fight against a serious climate crisis, we urgently need to adhere in the power of our togetherness and collectivity.

“Everyday is a chance to redouble our efforts, re evaluate our priorities, and rectify our actions,” she added.

She ended her message by urging people to use this moment to build a greener, more sustainable, and more united future.

Yllana has been active in global advocacy spaces for several years. In July 2023, she made history as the first Filipino beauty queen to speak at the UN.

Earlier this year, she also made headlines after announcing on Instagram that she would not be joining Miss Universe Philippines 2026, following her second runner-up finish at Miss Universe Philippines 2025, where she represented Siniloan, Laguna. 

She said she chose to focus on her professional goals outside pageantry after four years in the industry. She previously competed on the international stage at Miss Earth 2023 in Vietnam, where she was crowned Miss Earth-Air 2023, equivalent to first runner-up.

Beyond pageantry, Yllana is a licensed medical laboratory technologist and a vocal advocate of environmental education, the 17 UN SDGs, and her ongoing “E.A.R.T.H. Education” (Environmental Awareness and Action to Restore and Transcend Home) initiative, which promotes climate action and awareness.