Bea Millan-Windorski expresses admiration for Miss Universe Fatima Bosch

Despite the controversies surrounding her victory, Miss Universe 2025 Fatima Bosch has earned the admiration of Miss Universe Philippines Bea Millan-Windorski in handling all the criticism being thrown her way.

At her victory press conference held at City of Dreams Manila in Parañaque City on Sunday afternoon, May 10, Inquirer Entertainment asked the La Union lass for her message to the beleaguered beauty.

“I really admire how she handles criticism. The fact that she had a lot of people say certain things about her, and she is able to persevere, stay true to herself, and keep pushing, I think that’s something that’s really powerful with the Miss Universe branding, is someone who’s very true to themselves,” Windorski said.

Windorski is on a mission to succeed Bosch and post the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe victory in Puerto Rico in November, eight years since Catriona Gray became the fourth Filipino woman to bring home the crown.

Bosch, whose victory was marred by allegations of cheating, has been at the receiving end of bashing from critics all over the world, including the Philippines, citing her supposed dismal performance at the prelims and even the coronation night. For many pageant fans, reigning Mexico’s Fatima Bosch is the most undeserving of the coveted crown among the five finalists at the Miss Universe 2025, including the Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo, Windorski’s predecessor.

At least one judge who backed out of the contest also alleged that Miss Universe Organization president Raul Rocha is orchestrating a rigging in favor of Bosch, whose father was his business associate.

But Windorski could relate to Bosch’s experience with the bashing as she also has her own share of the same from netizens. “Sometimes it would get me down when I’m getting bashed for having a prominent chin or asymmetrical eyes,” she said.

“Recognizing that I would rather keep those things about myself because they make me me, and they’re really honoring the women who came before me, the features and the stories that I carry on my face because of my mom, my lola, even the women from my father’s side, and I would rather honor that than fit any certain beauty standard,” the Filipino-American beauty queen continued.

Despite all the harsh words hurled against her, Windorski was able to break a pervading “curse” in the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. If in the previous editions the delegate with the lion’s share of special awards fell short of the ultimate crown, she ended up winning despite taking the most citations.

Receiving most of her awards weeks prior to the final competition only boosted her confidence. “I was just so happy because I knew that I would be financially stable for a year, that I won’t have to worry so much about rent, and that I could focus on other things like my advocacy project,” she said at the sidelines of the press conference.

“It feels really amazing. And I’m also excited to continue donating some of that prize money to the projects and advocacies that I really care about, something that I did with my Misamis Occidental prize money. And I’m excited to continue supporting charitable causes especially Project CURMA,” she continued.

She expressed her gratitude to the fans, whom she credits for everything that she has accomplished on the pageant stage, and for helping her get to where she is now.

“One of my favorite memories from the entire MUPH journey is when we had our motorcade in Misamis Occidental, because I saw so many women and young Filipinos wearing sashes that said La Union, that were carrying my name. And the fact that I could feel that overwhelming level of support as an Ilocano woman in Mindanao really shows the capacity and potential of pageantry to unite the entire country, and to be a force of what our country could be,” she shared.

She also imparted her wish: “I hope that I could use this crown to really rally and unite all Filipinos, and to do them proud by showing why the Philippines is a force to be reckoned with not only within pageantry, but also in all aspects of what our country has to offer.” /edv