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Chelsea Fernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775618602721641249298_1554492703347055_3087827710136297161_n.jpg" style="width:633px;display:block" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=" Chelsea Fernandez/Facebook"/> Chelsea Fernandez/Facebook</div>While she is now happy and proud of her runner-up finish, Chelsea Fernandez admitted that there was a time she struggled with anxiety after failing to win the first Miss Cosmo crown for the Philippines.This is her &quot;greatest what-if&quot; when asked by her friend and fellow beauty queen, Miss Grand International 2025 Emma Tiglao, in her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/weareCreativePixel/videos/1462379352089544/">podcast</a> on Monday, April 6. Fernandez said her anxiety lasted for about two weeks, and that she was resorting to applying ice to her face to reduce puffiness caused by crying as she attended post-pageant interviews.&quot;I had anxiety talaga and it lasted, I think, for two weeks. Tapos we had early interviews... so I had to put a lot of ice on my face, or cold water, para lang di siya maga sa eyes, sa face,&quot; she shared.When asked by Tiglao if she sought professional help for her anxiety, Fernandez replied: &quot;I only talked to my best friend, to mommy, kasi I didn&#x27;t really want to share this burden to a lot of people. I don&#x27;t want to make people be worried about the situation.&quot;&quot;Kasi iniisip ko sila, sila talaga &#x27;yung iniisip ko. The effort of my province. It wasn&#x27;t just typical effort, money was involved especially with the voting,&quot; she explained. &quot;And also from the Filipino people... so at that time, andoon ako sa point na, &#x27;Sayang, andoon na ako.&#x27;&quot;Fernandez <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/12/20/usa-wins-miss-cosmo-2025-ph-s-chelsea-fernandez-is-first-runner-up-2335">ended up in the final Top 2 round of the Miss Cosmo 2025 pageant </a>in Vietnam last December, with Yolina Lindquist of the United States eventually winning the crown.While she did not get what she was aiming for, the Filipina beauty queen is still grateful for her runner-up finish.&quot;Runner-up is still a win because I still get to have that same responsibility as Yolina. And honestly, Yolina did not make me feel na, &#x27;you&#x27;re just a runner-up,&#x27;&quot; she said. &quot;Minsan talaga mapapaisip ka lang din, but I&#x27;m really grateful with everything that I have right now. The crown, the position, the title, the support, the love.&quot;Tiglao, for her part, believes that &quot;God has better plans&quot; for Fernandez.&quot;Naniniwala ako na God has better plans. You did not get the title itself, but I think soon it will become your &#x27;finally,&#x27;&quot; she declared.&quot;You may not understand it now... Maybe because sabi nga nila, hindi pa ibibigay sa &#x27;yo ni God &#x27;yung pinagpe-pray mo kasi meron pang kailangang matutunan. And I think meron pang nire-ready sa &#x27;yo,&quot; added Tiglao, who won the Miss Grand International 2025 crown after <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/10/27/emma-tiglao-shares-why-she-tried-pageantry-again-after-a-6-year-break-1357">over a decade of pageant experience. </a>

While she is now happy and proud of her runner-up finish, Chelsea Fernandez admitted that there was a time she struggled with anxiety after failing to win the first Miss Cosmo crown for the Philippines.

While she is now happy and proud of her runner-up finish, Chelsea Fernandez admitted that there was a time she struggled with anxiety after failing to win the first Miss Cosmo crown for the Philippines.

Chelsea Fernandez admits she struggled with anxiety after Miss Cosmo runner-up finish

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Chelsea Fernandez admits she struggled with anxiety after Miss Cosmo runner-up finish

ABS-CBN News

Published April 08, 2026 11:28 AM PHT

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Chelsea Fernandez

Emma Tiglao

Miss Cosmo

beauty queens

pageants

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