Scientists come to Yllana Aduana’s defense after ‘fakery’ claims
Yllana Aduana. Image from Instagram
The Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET) has come to the defense of Miss Universe Philippines 2025 candidate Yllana Marie Aduana, who came under fire for allegedly loosely describing herself as a “scientist.”
Aduana, a medical technologist prior to her beauty pageant journey, trended online after a content creator said the beauty queen may be accused of “fakery” as she was often “elevating” herself as a scientist.
Shortly after, PAMET came to Aduana’s defense, who turned the table on the content creator, saying the latter’s remarks tended to diminish the credibility of their profession.
Pamet statement
“Kamakailan, isang pahayag ang lumabas mula sa Vlog ni Ms. Tita Lavinia, na nagpapababa sa kredibilidad ng ating propesyon sa pagsasabing tila ‘itinataas’ ng mga Medical Technologists/Medical Laboratory Scientists ang ating sarili sa paggamit ng titulong ‘Medical Laboratory Scientist,’ na aniya ay hindi totoo,” PAMET Pres. Luella Vertucio said in her statement.
(Recently, a vlog of Ms. Tita Lavinia released a statement that diminishes our profession’s credibility by saying that we Medical Technologists/ Medical Laboratory Scientists are somehow “elevating” ourselves by using the title “Medical Laboratory Scientists,” which she said is not true.)
“The title ‘Medical Laboratory Scientist’ is not self-proclaimed but is internationally recognized, reflecting the essential role we play in healthcare. Our profession is at the forefront of laboratory diagnostics, ensuring accurate and reliable results that guide medical decisions and patient care,” Vertucio explained in her statement.
She said such remarks are misleading, and disrespect the thousands of medical technologists “who have dedicated their lives to upholding the highest standards of laboratory science.”
The content creator’s online post has generated a slew of attacks from other netizens who are taking her side, and maligning the pageant veteran for claiming to be a scientist in interviews, and even at an assembly organized by the United Nations in the United States.
“It’s not really smart-shaming… it’s the fakery of presenting yourself out there,” the content creator said. In response to PAMET’s statement, she said in an Instagram story, “Ummm, wag niyo ako iyakan o dramahan? Lakompake? (don’t cry or get dramatic? I don’t care?) Seriously, why are you so offended? Edi scientists kayo (So, you are scientists), amazing.”
Vertucio has called for a responsible and fact-based discussion to prevent misinformation. “We call on Ms. Tita Lavinia to issue a clarification and an apology for the misleading statements that undermine the value of Medical Laboratory Scientists in the healthcare system,” she said.
But the online content creator has remained adamant. “I wanted to keep mum because I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that this group of seemingly scientific and analytical individuals would NEED AN APOLOGY, A VALIDATION AND A PUBLIC DECLARATION OF THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY FROM A PAGEANT VLOGGER.”
She added: “Maintindihan ko sana kung political vlogger ako or big celebrity. Pero Tita Lavinia? Ayokong pumatol because the candidate is incompetition. Sobrang aga pa wala pang 2 weeks. Bakit naman ako mamemersonal sa kandidatang kabago bago pa lang sa competition?”
(I would understand if I were a political vlogger or big celebrity. But Tita Lavinia? I don’t want to respond because the candidate is in competition. It is too early, not even two weeks. Why will I personally attack a candidate, the competition has just started?)
The content creator continued: “As far as being cancelled, how can I make you understand and I mean this in the purest sense: Lakompake (I don’t care). Not to be mean or haughty pero latalagakongpake (I really don’t care).”
She said that was the last time that she will address the matter. “We live in a time where it feels like everything is offensive — where hearing an opinion that doesn’t align with yours is seen as an attack instead of just another perspective. Let us agree to disagree,” she said.
Aduana is representing Siniloan, Laguna, in the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant. She was also crowned as Miss FIT (Face, Intelligence, Tone) Philippines 2021 and Miss Philippines Earth 2023 and competed in the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
She represented the Philippines in the 2023 Miss Earth pageant in Vietnam and took home the Miss Earth-Air title for finishing second in the competition.
