Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi has expressed her support for her batchmate and successor Michelle Dee.
During the Preview Ball 2023, Celeste was asked about her thoughts on Michelle who will be vying for the country's fifth Miss Universe crown in the upcoming pageant in El Salvador this November 2023.
"She's been preparing so hard since we were batchmates. I really believe in her," Celeste said.
Hoping that the Philippines will regain the Miss Universe title this year, Celeste sends her best wishes to Michelle.
"I think she just needs to believe in herself and just have fun during the competition. I would be more than happy to finally see the Philippines winning Miss Universe. Good luck to her," the Miss Universe Philippines 2022 remarked.
Michelle and Celeste were finalists in last year's Miss Universe Philippines. Although it was Celeste who won the competition, Michelle posted an appreciation post for Celeste, saying that the crown was her destiny.
"I gave our all to win the crown, in the end, we always knew only one of us would win. No one can take her destiny away from her because she is queen well-deserved and a true friend for that matter as well," Michelle wrote in her post.
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And when it was Celeste's turn to compete in the global pageant, Michelle had also expressed love and support for the fellow beauty queen.
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