CELESTE Cortesi is happy that her friend and fellow beauty queen, Michelle Dee, is joining the Miss Universe Philippines pageant for the second time.
The Miss Universe Philippines 2022 titleholder believes that Dee will get the top crown this year.
The daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez and businessman Frederick Dee lost to Cortesi in last year’s edition of the national pageant.
“Sobrang masaya ako,” said Cortesi when asked about Dee’s return to the pageant scene in an interview with Boy Abunda. “I’m very proud of her and I know that this year, she can really get it.”
“So I will stand behind her,” she added.
Dee publicly showed her support for Cortesi after failing to make it to the Top 16 of the 71st Miss Universe earlier this year.
Both Dee and Cortesi competed internationally before joining Miss Universe Philippines in 2022. Dee made it to the Top 12 of Miss World in 2019, while Cortesi finished in the Top 8 of Miss Earth 2018. (ABS-CBN News)
