Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Dee (left) with the national pageant’s creative director Jonas Gaffud. Image: Instagram/@jonasempire.ph
MANILA, Philippines—Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) creative director Jonas Gaffud has called his ward Michelle Dee “queen,” and described the national titleholder as “strong” and “independent” in a social media post.
“I know how some Pinoys would bash her, but every day I would see a determined and dedicated queen. I am very proud of how she is: strong, independent woman,” Gaffud said on his personal Facebook page.
The two are currently in Los Angeles, California, in the United States for some last-minute preparations before Dee’s battle for the Miss Universe crown in the global tilt’s 72nd edition in El Salvador. Gaffud had earlier shared with INQUIRER.net that leaving early would help the delegate have enough time to adjust to the host country’s time zone.
Since MUPH took over the national franchise for the Philippines in 2020, the country’s delegates have been leaving ahead of schedule to “acclimatize” the ladies, especially because the Miss Universe pageant’s venues in the recent editions have been miles away from the country.
In his social media post, Gaffud said he met Dee while she was still studying psychology at the De La Salle University and ventured into modeling, like her mother, 1979 Miss International Melanie Marquez. “But as fate would have it, she ended up joining another pageant and management company,” he shared.
Dee signed up with the GMA Artist Center (now called GMA Sparkle Artist Center), and then joined the Miss World Philippines pageant in 2019 where she won. She later represented the Philippines in the 2019 Miss World competition in London where she finished in the Top 12.
“Our paths (at work) never [crossed] until 2022, when she joined Miss Universe Philippines. Up until around February this year, she was thinking if she’d join again. And so she did, and finally won the Miss Universe Philippines title,” Gaffud said.
Dee was crowned Miss Universe Philippines-Tourism in her first attempt, with the top title going to Celeste Cortesi, the Italian-Filipino model who broke the country’s 12-year placement streak in the Miss Universe pageant that started in 2010.
Gaffud continued in his post: “Now here we are, going to El Salvador for the Miss Universe pageant! Her aura is QUEEN! And her outfits and gowns are impeccable. So excited for this year’s edition. [Philippine flag emoji][blue heart emoji]”
Dee will compete with around 90 other international delegates in the 2023 Miss Universe pageant that will culminate in a coronation show on Nov. 18 (Nov. 19 in Manila) in El Salvador. Filipino-American sustainable fashion designer and advocate R’Bonney Gabriel, the ninth winner from the US, will relinquish her crown to her successor.
Four Filipino women have bee crowned Miss Universe since the pageant started in 1952—Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margie Moran in 1973, Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, and Catriona Gray in 2018.