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Filipino pageant fans still proud of Celeste Cortesi's Miss Universe stint

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Josiah Antonio, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Celeste Cortesi in Darna costume during the #71stMissUniverse preliminary competition in New Orleans, USA on January 11, 2023. (Screengrab from Miss Universe livestream/ The Miss Universe Organization)" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/tvpatrol/01/15/20230112-miss-universe-cortesi-darna-mu.jpg"/><figcaption>Celeste Cortesi in Darna costume during the #71stMissUniverse preliminary competition in New Orleans, USA on January 11, 2023. <em>(Screengrab from Miss Universe livestream/ The Miss Universe Organization)</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Many Filipino pageant fans said they were still proud of Celeste Cortesi despite falling short of entering the semifinals of the 71st Miss Universe pageant on Sunday (Manila time) in New Orleans, USA.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: Celeste Cortesi fails to make it to the Top 16 of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissUniverse</a> 2022, breaking the semifinal streak of the Philippines of 12 years. Screenshot from Miss Universe Organization. <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a></p>— Josiah Antonio (@josiahvantonio) <a href="https://twitter.com/josiahvantonio/status/1614441226606112770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Even though Cortesi&#x27;s bid snapped the 12-year semifinals streak of the Philippines in Miss Universe, some followers expressed gratitude to the beauty queen for how she represented the country.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/15/23/celeste-cortesi-ends-miss-universe-journey">Celeste Cortesi ends Miss Universe journey</a></li></ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Siguro marami lang mas magaling this batch pero she still did her best. For that, still happy and proud that she represented the country. 🇵🇭 <a href="https://t.co/XffBXVbR3b">https://t.co/XffBXVbR3b</a></p>— VINNY 🇦🇺 (@Vinny_Me) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vinny_Me/status/1614442867765968898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;Siguro marami lang mas magaling this batch pero she still did her best. For that, still happy and proud that she represented the country,&quot; a netizen said. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Heads up, you really did great. Thank you for representing our country, Celeste. We&#x27;re so proud of you. 🥺💗<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissUniverse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissUniverse2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissUniverse2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/71stMissUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#71stMissUniverse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CelesteCortesi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CelesteCortesi</a> <a href="https://t.co/G0e0ClAQCs">pic.twitter.com/G0e0ClAQCs</a></p>— Charla Cortesi (@charlaurriee) <a href="https://twitter.com/charlaurriee/status/1614462876244377602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;Heads up, you really did great. Thank you for representing our country, Celeste. We&#x27;re so proud of you,&quot; another netizen posted with a video of a teary-eyed Cortesi.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">YOU MADE US PROUD CELESTE! You were a force! And I applaud you for giving your all.<br/><br/>Pilipinas, let’s give her a standing ovation! 🇵🇭💖 <a href="https://t.co/LO8GBYK43o">pic.twitter.com/LO8GBYK43o</a></p>— Miss Mela Habijan (@missmelahabijan) <a href="https://twitter.com/missmelahabijan/status/1614442051021705216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan was among those said they were proud of Cortesi, noting how strong the advocacies of the Top 16 are.</p><p>&quot;THE STORIES OF THE FIRST FIVE SEMI-FINALISTS ARE EMPOWERING! Miss Universe is looking for a woman of power… as pageants should be! Hindi na puwede ang ganda lang,&quot; Habijan said.</p><p>&quot;YOU MADE US PROUD CELESTE! You were a force! And I applaud you for giving your all. Pilipinas, let’s give her a standing ovation!&quot; she added.</p><p>Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, meanwhile, had words of comfort for pageant followers whose country representatives did not make it to the Top 16.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/15/23/what-catriona-said-after-miss-universe-2022-semis-result">What Catriona Gray said after Miss Universe 2022 Top 16 announcement</a></li></ul><p>As one of the commentators of the coronation night, Gray was earlier seen shaking her head after her compatriot, the Philippines&#x27; Celeste Cortesi, failed to make it to the semifinals.</p><p>After composing herself, Gray addressed Miss Universe followers from the Philippines and other countries whose delegates did not make the first cut.</p><p>&quot;The selection committee must have really had a hard time but what an exceptional group of ladies. Guys, you are not alone — Philippines, Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia – I know you might be feeling a little bit of disappointment right now but we always have next year,&quot; she said. </p><p>&quot;Continue to send your love to our 16 while they kill it in their swimwear and evening gown rounds.&quot;</p><p>As of writing, the topics #MissUniverse2022 along with Top 16 and Celeste were the top trending in Twitter Philippines with more than 100,000 tweets.</p><p>The Filipino-American delegate of the USA, R&#x27;Bonney Gabriel, was named the new Miss Universe.</p><p>She succeeds Harnaaz Sandhu of India, and is the first to wear the &quot;Force for Good&quot; crown made by Mouawad in partnership with the Miss Universe Organization under its new owner, Anne Jakrajutatip.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/15/23/miss-usa-is-miss-universe-2022-ph-ends-semifinals-streak">Miss USA is Miss Universe 2022; PH ends 12-year semifinals streak</a></li></ul><p>Gabriel&#x27;s first and second runners-up are Amanda Dudamel of Venezuela and Andreína Martínez of the Dominican Republic, respectively.</p><p>This is the first time the Philippines missed a semi-final placement in the Miss Universe since the stint of Venus Raj in 2010.</p><p>Cortesi was aiming for the Philippines&#x27; fifth Miss Universe crown after Catriona Gray (2018), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margie Moran (1973), and Gloria Diaz (1969).</p><p>Born to an Italian father and a Filipina mother, she first represented the Philippines in Miss Earth in 2018, where she placed in the Top 8.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2419687" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Filipinos are still proud of Celeste Cortesi's run in Miss Universe 2022, despite not making it to the first cut of the pageant held Sunday (Philippine Time) in New Orleans.

Filipino pageant fans still proud of Celeste Cortesi's Miss Universe stint

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Filipino pageant fans still proud of Celeste Cortesi's Miss Universe stint

Josiah Antonio,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 15, 2023 01:51 PM PHT

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