Victoria Vincent, Stacey Gabriel don’t feel pressured in Miss Universe PH

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 candidates Victoria Velasquez Vincent (left) and Stacey Daniella Gabriel. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina

Many pageant observers consider the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 batch of delegates the strongest ever, with so many seasoned aspirants who have proven their mettle in previous competitions. Among them are Victoria Velasquez Vincent and Stacey Daniella Gabriel who were both so close to the top prize in their respective first outings.

Vincent, who is representing Bacoor, Cavite, this year, was crowned Miss Universe Philippines-Charity in the national competition in 2021. Gabriel from Cainta, Rizal, meanwhile, was second runner-up in the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant. But both of them said they do not feel any pressure as they aim to go higher this time.

“I know that people might have certain expectations of me, but I’m more focused on the expectations that I have of myself. And I am more focused on just making sure that regardless of the outcome, I am first of all enjoying the journey a lot more this time,” Vincent told INQUIRER.net on the sidelines of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant’s signing event with lead sponsor Villa Medica held at Hilton Manila in Pasay City on March 20.

Gabriel, for her part, said, “Honestly, there is no pressure in that regard. Because what that night taught me is I have everything I need within me to succeed. And the self-doubt and the debilitating anxiety about pageantry was unwarranted. I had a knack for it, after all. So, if anything, it doesn’t add pressure, it only reinvigorates me and encourages me to reach for the universe.”

But that does not mean they will just play it extra cool. Both ladies have been working on improving themselves so they can hopefully get promoted from being “bridesmaids” to becoming “brides” when the final competition arrives.

READ: Another Miss Universe Philippines 2024 delegate withdraws

Vincent said she is returning as “a woman with, first of all, pageant experience but also life experience, and a woman who has had a lot of time to develop her character more, develop her mental fortitude more, and develop her ‘pasarela’ (pageant walk) more, because I know that’s what people are wanting from me.”

Gabriel shared she is more “intentional” with her journey this time around. “I’m definitely more hands-on with my team, and with every aspect of the competition, from styling to ‘pasarela,’ to hair and makeup. Whereas in Binibini, it was ‘ladidadida, everything is awesome.’ Now I’ve got a singular vision. And I know exactly what I want. And I envision that and manifest that every day.”

Vincent’s 2021 Miss Universe Philippines batchmates have also been cheering her on in her comeback, including top winner Beatrice Luigi Gomez who finished in the Top 5 of the 70th Miss Universe pageant held in Israel.

“So, Bea said that she was happy, she’s somehow relieved that I was coming back. Because, at first, I was so adamant that I wasn’t going to come back. And then a lot of the girls have just wished me luck. And then [2021 Miss Universe Philippines-Tourism] Katrina Dimaranan, she said, ‘Win this for the both of us,’” Vincent shared.

Gabriel’s Bb. Pilipinas sisters have also been supportive of her. “[Miss International third runner-up] Nicole Borromeo is one of my best friends, [Miss International semifinalist] Hannah Arnold is one of my best friends, too, and they just gas me up every day, ‘go mama, go Miss Universe!’” Cainta’s delegate shared.

“At the end of a long day, the difference between feeling low battery and feeling on top of the world could be one text from your girlfriend. So I’m so grateful that I have them in my corner, and they believe in me,” Gabriel continued, and said it is now her turn to get some boost from her pageant sisters after cheering them on during her tenure as a runner-up.

Vincent and Gabriel will be competing with 51 other ladies who are aspiring to succeed last year’s winner, 2023 Miss Universe Top 10 finisher Michelle Marquez Dee.

The eventual winner will represent the Philippines in the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico later this year, and try to become the fifth Filipino woman to bring home the crown, after Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015) and Catriona Gray (2018).