Binibining Pilipinas 2022 1st runner-up Herlene Nicole Budol cheered Celeste Cortesi after failing to snatch the Miss Universe crown.
“Celeste maganda ka pa din. We love you,” Herlene wrote on Facebook with an emoji blowing a kiss.
“Ako nga na budol e,” the comedian jokingly said.
RELATED: ‘Pang-barangay to 1st runner up’: A look at Herlene Budol’s Binibining Pilipinas journey
Herlene was supposed to represent the country in Miss Planet International in November last year but it was postponed after several mishaps.
She, later on, withdrew from the competition “due to uncertainties by the organizers.”
Among the issues that confronted the pageant delegates, according to Herlene’s manager Wilbert Tolentino were the following:
- Contestants rehearsed under the heat of the sun as sponsors of the original venue backed out due to unsettled payments.
- Contestants not being given food in the rehearsals
- Contestants looking for their own place to stay since the accommodation promised was not available
RELATED: Messages of support pour in after Herlene Budol’s pageant post captioned ‘The End’
Meanwhile, in the comments section, many encouraged Herlene to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.
Amid this request, Herlene jokingly responded, “‘Wag nating ipilit ‘di tayo pang MU (Miss Universe) pang-bardagulan lang tayo, don tayo sa kung saan lang tayo bagay. Ano sa tingin niyo?”
As of writing, Herlene’s post has gained more than 112,000 reactions, over 1,600 comments, and 1,900 shares.
Last November, Miss Universe Philippines opened applications for aspiring beauty queens.
The pageant also recently made a significant change in the competition to allow widows, divorced and married to pursue their dream to be crowned Miss Universe.
The deadline for submissions is on Jan. 29, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.
RELATED: Miss Universe Philippines now allows widow, divorced, married to join pageant
