Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee was honored for, among other things, her advocacy for autism awareness.
The 28-year-old beauty queen is among the awardees of “Women of Style and Substance, given out by local lifestyle magazine People’s Asia.
The “Women of Style and Substance” awarding ceremony was held at the Grand Ballroom of Fairmont Makati in Makati City on Tuesday, October 10.
During her speech, Michelle said that she is thankful for the recognition, adding that the award is a “reflection” of the grace and fighting spirit that “every woman has to make their unique mark in this world.”
“Collectively, I know that we can create a positive change around the world and make a great impact on the global stage with an emphasis on creating a more inclusive world and as well as to my lifelong mission and the cause closest to my heart, which is towards autism acceptance, awareness, and inclusivity,” she said.
Other awardees of this year’s “Women of Style and Substance” include MediaQuest Holdings Inc. president and CEO Jane Jimenez-Basas, BlueWater Day Spa CEO Mary Simisim, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. president and co-founder Maria Grace Uy and Philippine Airlines assistant vice president for catering operations Chef Vallerie Castillo-Archer, among others.
See the complete list of awardees here.
Michelle is set to represent the country in this year’s Miss Universe pageant, the coronation night of which will be held in El Salvador on November 18 (November 19, Philippine time).
Michelle, daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez, hopes to be the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe titleholder after Gloria Diaz, Margarita Moran, Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray.
In an interview with the GMA-7 program “Unang Balita,” Michelle said she is “100% ready” for the competition.
“I’m giving it everything that I have — two hundred percent of myself, I’m dedicating it to my crown. I’m working on the different aspects of my campaign just to make sure that when I fly to El Salvador,” she said.
Michelle adds that she is training “almost every day.”
“We also have requirements to fulfill, and responsibilities with our sponsors. If you see my schedule this month, puno talaga, but of course, we have to know how to make our priorities list,” she shared. —Chuck Smith