Michelle Dee (Image: Instagram/@michelledee)
Miss World Philippines 2019 Michelle Dee has returned to beauty pageants as she revealed having applied for Miss Universe Philippines 2022.
The beauty queen-actress, who is the daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez, announced that she had applied for the pageant, showing her application video on her Kumu page (@michellemdee) yesterday, Feb. 15. The video is part of the pageant’s initial application process.
“The road to the crown will not be easy. Following in the footsteps of our former queens will not be easy as well. But taking my chances to win the crown takes courage,” she said. “Tenacity, love for my country and the willingness to do good with this platform is what I believe will become my greatest advantage in the Miss Universe Philippines stage.”
Dee also stated that she wanted to inspire others to achieve their “best self” and to make the country proud once more. She then showed her fierce poses as part of her application.
Dee also gave fans a glimpse of her glam photos on her Instagram page yesterday. She rocked a black one-piece swimsuit and a sexy green halter top.
“It’s now or never. Hey Universe, my application video is now live on KUMU (@michellemdee) please check it out if you can,” she told fans.
Fellow beauty queens and celebrities Pia Wurtzbach, Megan Young, Kylie Verzosa, Sarah Lahbati and Heart Evangelista were among those who wished Dee luck with her application.
The Miss Universe Philippines Organization is yet to announce when it will reveal the candidates who passed the initial screening.
Dee represented the Philippines in the Miss World 2019 beauty pageant, where she finished as part of the top 12 candidates.
She is hoping to be the third representative of the country under the Miss Universe Philippines organization, following Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo and Miss Universe 2021 top 5 finalist Beatrice Luigi Gomez.
The Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. chose the Philippines’ delegate in Miss Universe for more than 50 years until it parted ways with the global Miss Universe Organization in 2019. Miss Universe Philippines, a separate organization, has since been established to choose a representative to the international pageant.
The 2022 edition of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant will be held in April. /ra
RELATED STORIES:
Miss Universe PH set to start screening for new queens in February
LOOK: Beatrice Luigi Gomez returns to PH after 70th Miss Universe