Jaehwa Bernardo

Photos from Brandon Espiritu and Jether Palomo's Instagram accounts

Article (news)

Fil-Am pageant kings face backlash over 'halfies' remark

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781149561766bow.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Brandon Espiritu (left) and Jether Palomo. <em>Photos from Espiritu and Palomo&#x27;s respective Instagram accounts</em></span></span></span></div><p>The pageant community has reacted to comments made by Filipino-American male pageant titleholders Brandon Espiritu and Jether Palomo, who have come under fire for their &quot;halfies&quot; remark that was perceived as demeaning toward Filipinos participating in pageants.</p><p>On her Instagram page, Filipino-Palestinian beauty queen Gazini Ganados shared a photo of the Philippine flag, along with the caption: &quot;Halfies or not, no one can dictate what it means to be Filipino.&quot;</p><p>&quot;My love for the Philippines is not measured by blood quantum, but by the pride, respect, and service I give to my country,&quot; said Ganados, who recently represented the country at the inaugural edition of Miss Grand International All Stars.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZZpj3qk6Px/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A10279709.8%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="927" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Miss Universe Philippines 2026 Bea Millan-Windorski reacted to Ganados&#x27; post, writing in the comments: &quot;A true Queen.&quot;</p><p>Kirk Bondad, who is half-German and won the Mister International 2025 title for the Philippines, said he did not agree &quot;with the comment that was made.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I would have approached the conversation differently,&quot; he said.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block" width="633"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781149401424721104384_18472723315099648_678360805195374836_n.jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="633"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Screenshot from Kirk Bondad&#x27;s Instagram Stories</em></span></span></span>&quot;At the same time, I don&#x27;t believe a single moment should define a person&#x27;s character. We all say things we wish we had phrased differently. Once these situations become about punishment and pride, nobody really wins,&quot; he added.</div><p>At the end of his post, Bondad stressed that he was &quot;proud to be a Filipino.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The Philippines has given me a sense of belonging, purpose, and some of the most meaningful experiences of my life, and I am eternally grateful for that,&quot; he said.</p><p>Mr. Cosmo Philippines Enzo Bonoan said he was also &quot;sincerely disappointed&quot; over the remarks, but still considered Espiritu and Palomo as his friends.</p><p>&quot;I’m not here to cancel anyone. But love that’s real tells the truth and the truth is those words were undoubtedly wrong, and they hurt people who deserve better,&quot; Bonoan said in an Instagram post.</p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZZfzq9IqAz/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A10309906%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="903" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>&quot;With that, I hope they learn and grow from this. And thankfully, I believe they can,&quot; he said.</p><p>The reactions stemmed from a now-deleted social media clip posted by Espiritu, who represented the Philippines at Mister Supranational 2024.</p><div><strong>NO CHANCE? <br/></strong></div><p>In the video, he and several other pageant titleholders were challenged to sing their respective national anthems. However, instead of singing &quot;Lupang Hinirang,&quot; the Philippine delegates sang the U.S. national anthem.</p><p>Although Espiritu later deleted the post, pageant fans captured screenshots of the comments section, including an exchange between him and Palomo, who represented the Philippines at Mister Global 2025, in which the two appeared to express their allegiance to the United States.</p><p>When a social media user questioned why no one sang the Philippine anthem, Espiritu said: &quot;Because we aren&#x27;t from the Philippines. Why would we lie.&quot;</p><p>When told that they should have represented a different country, Espiritu responded: &quot;Tell that to all the frontrunners for the Philippines. This country wouldn&#x27;t have a chance on the national stage without us halfies.&quot;</p><p>Espiritu has issued an apology for the remarks through his Instagram Stories, but the statement was later deleted. However, pageant fans were able to capture screenshots of the post.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block" width="633"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781149495344721104391_18091213136527196_9180525621666264755_n.jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="633"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Screenshot from Jether Palomo&#x27;s Instagram Stories</em></span></span></span></div><p>Palomo also addressed the issue, saying: &quot;To everyone I hurt, offended, or disappointed I am sincerely sorry.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I take full responsibility. I know these are not light topics, and I should have been more thoughtful. This moment has pushed me to reflect, listen, and genuinely learn and I believe that growth only comes when we are willing to hold ourselves accountable,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The pageant community has reacted to comments made by Filipino-American male pageant titleholders Brandon Espiritu and Jether Palomo, who have come under fire for their 'halfies' remark that was perceived as demeaning toward Filipinos participating in pageants.</p>

The pageant community has reacted to comments made by Filipino-American male pageant titleholders Brandon Espiritu and Jether Palomo, who have come under fire for their 'halfies' remark that was perceived as demeaning toward Filipinos participating in pageants.

Fil-Am pageant kings Brandon Espiritu, Jether Palomo face backlash over 'halfies' remark

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Pageants and Beauty Queens

Fil-Am pageant kings Brandon Espiritu, Jether Palomo face backlash over 'halfies' remark

ABS-CBN News

Published June 11, 2026 12:09 PM PHT

Read More:

pageant

Brandon Espiritu

Jether Palomo

Gazini Ganados

Kirk Bondad

Enzo Bonoan

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