Miss Universe 2013 fourth runner-up Ariella Arida is back in the Philippines and is all geared up to help the typhoon that flattened most part of Tacloban City and some parts of the country. Known as one of the strongest tropical cyclones to make landfall in recorded history, Haiyan has an estimated death toll to 10,000 in Central Philippines and the 13th named storm of the 2013 Pacific typhoon season.

Arida's Top 5 victory is 4th in a row for the Philippines since 2010 when Venus Raj competed against Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarete of Mexico. An early favorite of the pageant, Ariella beat all odds when she competed against 85 candidates for this year's most prestigious beauty contest in the world and was hailed as one of the Top 5 beautiful women in the world.

Despite what's happening in the other side of the country, Arida was welcomed by her friends and family in a homecoming presscon prepared by Binibining Pilipinas at Gateway Mall late Tuesday afternoon, November 12. Members of the press and online media gathered to welcome her and to witness her return from Moscow, Russia.

Fellow beauty queens are there to congratulate her, including Miss Supranational Mutya Datul and Bb. Pilipinas sisters Bea Rose Santiago, Cindy Miranda and Pia Wurtzbach. The presscon turned out to be a happy reunion for the girls who are eager to hear her stories and learn from her Miss Universe experience.

As part of her advocacy as Miss Universe Philippines, Ariella Arida will lead the other ladies in helping out the victims of Yolanda by raising funds and donations. She even mentioned that being fourth-runner up in the recent Miss Universe pageant is a blessing in disguise for she can focus in helping out her fellow Filipinos for winning the crown means not being able to return home immediately.

The super typhoon shook the entire country the day before the Coronation Night of Miss Universe 2013 and while was focusing of winning the crown Arida she send her prayers to all typhoon victims to stay strong and to keep their faith. Yes, she failed to bring the crown but she definitely made her country proud in this time of great tragedy.