Fil-Norwegian beauty queen's heart belongs to RP

SURE, she may have represented Norway in the recent Miss Universe pageant, but Fil-Norwegian Kirby Ann Basken is promoting Philippine tourist spots and fulfilling her responsibilities as last year's Mutya ng Pilipinas. Here's an excerpt from Armin Adina's story for the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

Basken, born to a Filipino mother and Norwegian father, was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas last year. In April this year, she bagged the Miss Norway crown making her the European country's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.

The 5-foot-9 television presenter arrived from Norway on Wednesday, not only to relinquish her title to the next Mutya, but also to take her Norwegian friends to several destinations in the country. "I wish we have more time, we'll be here for only two weeks," Basken, 21, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City. She said she will take her friends to Boracay, and will later explore Palawan, Cebu, Mindoro and Iloilo if they still have time.

Pics courtesy of Agence France-Presse. Here she is trying out a segway at Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. And here she is posing by the Nezahualcoyotl fountain at Chapultepec Park with Miss Hungary and Miss Finland.