Cheyenne Suarez

Brandon Espiritu takes social media break, admits 'halfies' remark was 'arrogant'

Article (news)

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/1782101712098Espiritu.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Mister Supranational 2024 second runner-up Brandon Espiritu was interviewed by a content creator while on vacation in Japan. Eren Wayne Jr./Instagram"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Mister Supranational 2024 second runner-up Brandon Espiritu was interviewed by a content creator while on vacation in Japan. <em>Eren Wayne Jr./Instagram </em></span></span></span></div><p>Brandon Espiritu has decided to take a break from social media after facing widespread backlash for his &quot;halfies&quot; remark, which seemed demeaning to homegrown Filipino pageant aspirants. </p><p>The Mister Supranational 2024 second runner-up appeared in a &quot;man-on-the-street&quot; interview by content creator Eren Wayne Jr. while on vacation in Osaka, Japan. </p><p>He said he intends to be off social media for two months after doing fitness and wellness content for 10 years. </p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m just taking a break from social media for like, two months, and that&#x27;s kind of why I am here, too,&quot; he said, calling Osaka his &quot;healing place.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I don&#x27;t even have socials anymore. From 500,000 followers to just not doing content at all,&quot; he added.</p><p>While the content creator gave him words of encouragement that he will get through the backlash, Espiritu acknowledged his mistake and regretted what he did.</p><p>&quot;It was an arrogant comment. I should not have dropped that. I do respect my country, my people,&quot; the Filipino-American pageant titleholder said.</p><p>&quot;I definitely see where I went wrong,&quot; he stressed. &quot;But yeah, man, I gotta take a break.&quot;</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ2N5_oRvoH/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A2669258.399999976%2C%22ls%22%3A17128.699999928474%2C%22le%22%3A17351%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" 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>Some of the Philippines&#x27; top beauty queens and celebrities have weighed in on the controversial &quot;halfies&quot; issue involving Espiritu and another Filipino-American, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2026/6/11/fil-am-pageant-kings-brandon-espiritu-jether-palomo-face-backlash-over-halfies-remark-1209">Mister Global 2025 semi-finalist Jether Palomo</a>.</p><p>Among them were <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2026/6/12/catriona-gray-emma-tiglao-other-beauty-queens-weigh-in-amid-halfies-controversy-1217">Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Miss Grand International 2025 Emma Tiglao</a>, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/6/15/joy-barcoma-speaks-out-on-halfies-issue-i-m-so-disappointed-1127">Miss Philippines Earth 2025 Joy Barcoma</a>, and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/6/18/anne-curtis-on-being-a-halfie-i-will-always-be-proud-to-be-filipino-2313">actress Anne Curtis</a>. </p>

<p>Brandon Espiritu has decided to take a break from social media after facing widespread backlash for his "halfies" remark, which seemed demeaning to homegrown Filipino pageant aspirants.</p>

Brandon Espiritu has decided to take a break from social media after facing widespread backlash for his "halfies" remark, which seemed demeaning to homegrown Filipino pageant aspirants.