MANILA, Philippines?The fallout from the hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand last week which left eight Chinese tourists dead is the biggest problem facing Philippine tourism today, according to the five finalists in the 2010 Mutya ng Pilipinas beauty pageant.

During the final question-and-answer Saturday, the finalists were asked what the main obstacle to Philippine tourism was, and what they would do about it as tourism ambassadors.

Though those awaiting their turn to answer were held in an isolation booth, the young women all gave similar responses.

Crowd favorite Barbara Salvador from Pangasinan first expressed her condolences to the victims of the incident before giving her answer. She said the country?s image had been tainted because officials failed to ensure the security of visitors.

What she would do personally to try to overcome this, she said, was to ?send a message to the world that [the Philippines] is still your home in Asia and we love you.?

Her reply was well-received by the audience at the Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, and Salvador ended up winning the Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International title.

?Heart behind tourist spots?

Salvador, a semifinalist in the 2009 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, earlier impressed the audience with her response to a question given to 10 semifinalists. She said tourist spots in the country were different because ?there is a heart behind it all.?

She added, ?Other destinations tend to be intimidating, but not here in the Philippines.?

Bicol?s Carla Lizardo won the Mutya ng Pilipinas-Intercontinental crown. The 19-year-old Ateneo de Manila University student said, ?It is my responsibility to uphold our image to people from other countries. By being a positive role model, I can change this [tainted] image.?

Improve police force

Another crowd favorite, Christi Lynn McGarry, who represented the Filipino community in the United States? East Coast, said she would propose an improvement in the Philippine National Police, and added: ?I will remind people around the world that this could happen in any country. And the Philippines is still, and always will be, a beautiful place to visit.?

Philippine tourism is the main thrust of the 42-year-old annual pageant.

The three winners earlier received special awards. Salvador was declared Mutya ng Resorts World Manila and Mutya ng Pilipinas-L?Oreal Paris. Lizardo was Best in Long Gown.

McGarry was proclaimed Best in Figure, Best in Swimsuit, Miss Fit Body, Mutya ng Slimmers World, Mutya ng Discovery Suites and Mutya ng Resorts World Manila-Maxims.

The three will represent the country in the Miss Tourism International, Miss Intercontinental and Miss Asia Pacific pageants.