MUPH National Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee (right) with her queen Michelle Marquez Dee. Image: Facebook/Shamcey Supsup
MANILA, Philippines—Shamcey Supsup-Lee, the national director of the Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) organization, was all praises for her delegate Michelle Dee’s performance in the crucial preliminary competition for the 72nd Miss Universe pageant held in El Salvador on Nov. 15 (Nov. 16 in Manila).
“I just want to congratulate her for a flawless performance. I could feel her energy all the way here in the Philippines. And I hope that she continues to walk with pride knowing that many Filipinos are rooting for her,” Lee told INQUIRER.net in an online interview.
“She’s on fire, especially in swimsuit. She’s a standout, in my opinion. Even her gown reflects her personality,” continued the national director, herself a beauty queen having finished fourth in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant.
Lee said she could feel the support Dee has been enjoying here in the Philippines. “I think this is the first time that wherever I go, they always tell me how much they support Michelle. The ‘bayanihan’ spirit thrills me,” she shared.
She also appealed to the fans to keep rallying behind Dee, who is on a quest to score the Philippines’ fifth victory in the Miss Universe pageant. “Continue to vote for her. Votes are super crucial, so let’s not be complacent. This fight is for the Philippines!” she declared.
Dee has already secured the top spot in the online voting for the “Voice for Change” program initiated by the Miss Universe crown provider Mouawad with CI Talks. The program’s judges have also chosen her video as one of the 10 “silver finalists” vying to be one of the three “gold winners” to be announced on the coronation show. “To be chosen for Voice for Change, that’s on a different level,” Lee said.
She also noted how Dee would repay all the support she has been enjoying with continuous peeks into her journey in El Salvador. “Kumbaga, busog na busog tayo sa updates. Kaya love siya ng marami (it’s as if we’re so ‘full’ of updates. That is why many love her),” the national director said.
And it appeared Dee is in high spirits after the preliminary competition. “Lumaban tayo Pilipinas (we fought, Philippines)! [Philippine Flag emoji][heart on fire emoji],” she posted on social media.
“Nakakataba ng puso kayo (you fill my heart with joy)! I feel so much love and couldn’t be any more grateful to everyone who watched yesterday. Nasa exciting part na talaga tayo (we have really come to the exciting part)!!!” she continued, using the hashtags “#BAYANIHAN” and “#deepatapos.”
She also reminded the people of the national costume show scheduled today at the Jose Alfonso Pineda Arena in San Salvador. “Let’s give them another show, shall we?” she teased, using an airplane emoji to hint at her costume, that was somehow preempted in a video of a pageant sponsor.
The 2023 Miss Universe pageant will choose the successor to reigning queen R’Bonney Gabriel at the culmination of the coronation show in the same arena on Nov. 18 (Nov. 19 in Manila). Dee will try to reclaim the Philippines’ status as an international pageant powerhouse after her predecessor Celeste Cortesi broke the country’s 12-year placement streak.
The Philippines has produced four Miss Universe winners, so far—Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018).