Karen Ibasco

Ibasco was born on December 17, 1990 in Manila, Philippines. She studied at Hope Christian High School in Manila and she speaks Chinese fluently.

She obtained her bachelor and master's degrees in applied physics major in medical physics at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, where she graduated cum laude on both degrees. She was also a former professor at the College of Science at the University of Santo Tomas and worked as a medical physicist at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Global City.

Ibasco was a candidate at Binibining Pilipinas 2016 pageant representing the city of Manila. Ibasco participated and won in the Miss Philippines Earth 2017 on July 15, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and earned the right to represent the Philippines at Miss Earth 2017 pageant.

Miss Earth 2017

Ibasco represented the Philippines in the Miss Earth 2017 pageant held in the Philippines where she was eventually crowned as Miss Earth 2017 by the outgoing Miss Earth 2016 Katherine Espín of Ecuador. She is the 4th Filipina to win the Miss Earth crown and the 3rd in the last four years. During the final question and answer portion all the contestants were asked the same question by the host James Deakin: "Who or what do you think is the biggest enemy of Mother Earth and why?", she answered:

I believe that the real problem in this world is not climate change. The real problem is us because of our ignorance and apathy. What we have to do is to start changing our ways, to start recalibrating our minds and redirecting our steps because together, as a global community, our micro-efforts will have a macro-effect to help save our home, our planet.

Ibasco was personally congratulated by former Philippine president and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada when she paid a courtesy call on Estrada at the latter’s office in Manila City Hall. She was also congratulated by former Manila City Mayor and Buhay Party-List, Lito Atienza for giving pride and honor to the City of Manila in winning Miss Earth 2017.

In August 2017, Ibasco was invited in the Senate of the Philippines and voiced her support for the fuel excise tax provision at one of the hearings conducted by the Senate ways and means committee on the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN). She indicated in the hearing that "as a signatory to the Paris climate change treaty that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Philippine is committed within a specific timeframe to cut its carbon emissions, which can be done partly by approving the fuel excise tax provision under TRAIN."

Ibasco travelled in Cambodia in November 2017 and took part in social activities such as cleaning of schools, tree planting and other environmental activities and also visited Angkor Wat and Siem Reap.