Pageant ‘halfies’ weigh in on Brandon Espiritu, Jether Palomo’s remarks
After Brandon Espiritu and Jether Palomo‘s controversial statements that seemingly demean full-blooded Filipinos participating in international pageantry, many beauty queens or kings, and other pageant personalities have given their two-cents on the matter.
Guam-born Kapuso star Brandon Espiritu represented the Philippines in the 2024 Mister Supranational contest in Poland, and won for the country its highest placement in field for winning second runner-up.
Palomo is a fitness enthusiast from the United States who won the Mister-Pilipinas Global 2025 and became a semifinalist on the global pageant. He also won 1st runner-up at the 2023 Mister Tourism World, representing the Philippines. He recently withdrew as a candidate of the 2026 Mister World Philippines pageant due to conflict in his schedule.
Espiritu and Palomo faced backlash after posting comments that their allegiance is still with the United States where they are from, even while they represented the Philippines on the global stage. Espiritu further claimed that “this country wouldn’t have a chance on the national [sic] stage without us ‘halfies.’”
Their comments drew the ire of netizens, while other pageant personalities took a dig at the two titleholders’ remarks that seemingly bespoke their lack of loyalty to the country, and respect for their homegrown Filipino peers.
Filipina-Palestinian Gazini Ganados, who recently brought pride to the country for her Top 5 placement at the recently-concluded MGI All Stars inaugural pageant, said she is proud to be representing her beloved country, which is incidentally celebrating its Independence Day on today, June 12.
“Halfies or not, no one can dictate what it means to be Filipino. My love for the Philippines is not measured by blood quantum, but by the pride, respect, and service I give to my country. Advance Happy Independence Day, mahal kong Pilipinas,” she said on Instagram.
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Man of the World 2026 champion Oliver Eugen Kretz said even “halfies” should learn to love and be proud of the country they are representing abroad.
“For me, wherever we grew up in, what country you’ve been from, or what kind of past you’ve had doesn’t matter, as long as you have respect for your family and your being a Filipino,” Kretz said in an interview with News5.
The Filipino-German pageant king said that as a “halfie,” he also experienced bullying, but he said that he does not believe that being of mixed blood does not dilute his love for the country, nor does he feel that it gives him the right to feel superior over full-blooded Filipinos.
“I don’t agree in those things, because it doesn’t matter what is your heritage. What matters is how genuine you are as a person and how true you are to yourself and to the country. So for me, being a Filipino is a thing to be proud of. We are all equal, we don’t need to feel superior, putting other people down because of their race,” he further said.
Another Filipino-German male titleholder, Mister International 2025 Kirk Bondad also issued a statement on his Instagram Story, this time to defend his friend Espiritu, saying that while he understood where the critics were coming from, the latter’s comments should not define his character.
“I want to be clear that I don’t agree with the comment that was made, and I would have approached the conversation differently. At the same time, I don’t believe a single moment should define a person’s character. We all say things we wish we had phrased differently. Once these situations become about punishment and pride, nobody really wins,” he said.
Bondad said that he himself is proud to be Filipino, and that the Philippines “has given me a sense of belonging, purpose, and some of the most meaningful experiences of my life.”
‘You are one of us’
Meanwhile, Mister Pilipinas-Cosmo 2026 Enzo Bonoan said he was “sincerely disappointed” by the comments made by Espiritu and Palomo, saying being Filipino was never about blood percentage nor accent, or where they came from.
“So to every Filipino reading this: you are enough. Whether you’re in Tondo or in a barangay most people can’t find on a map. Whether you’re an [overseas Filipino] sacrificing for your family from the other side of the world. Whether your Tagalog is flawless, or you prefer to speak in Bisaya, Bicolano, Ilocano, or English. And even if you were born abroad or with mixed heritage. You are one of us and you are enough,” Bonoan said.
Bonoan, who will represent the country at the Mr Cosmo 2026 pageant in Vietnam in November, said he will proudly carry the Philippine flag.
“Do know that when I carry our flag on the international stage this November, I don’t carry it above you. I carry it because of all of you. Full-blooded, half, homegrown, hyphenated, OFW — Filipino. That’s the only flag I pledge to,” he said.
‘Disgraceful’
Actress-beauty queen Stacey Gabriel and globally renowned fashion designer Michael Cinco, meanwhile, left strongly worded comments for Espiritu and Palomo.
Gabriel called out Espiritu and Palomo for their “disgraceful” remarks towards the Philippines and their home-grown Filipino peers.
“You either embrace your Filipino heritage fully when you represent us or you don’t at all. This term ‘halfies’ is a destructive, racially-motivated word designed to needlessly segregate us,” she said.
Cinco said, “The nerve of these ordinary-looking guys acting superior when they don’t even look like they have any foreign ancestry. They only come to the Philippines to build a career and gain followers… DUHHH…”
Their comments, however, have been deleted when Espiritu removed his post, which included a video of him and several other pageant representatives from other countries singing their respective national anthems. the Guam-born Espiritu, admitting that he does not know to sing “Lupang Hinirang,” sang instead the American national anthem.
Espiritu has also issued an apology note on Instagram, but he deleted it as well. /edv
