Michele Gumabao on MUP: “I heard things that I wasn’t supposed to hear”
- Michele Gumabao has opened up about the controversies that have hounded her and the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 pageant
- The beauty queen revealed that she fell sick and got injured days before going to Baguio City, where the pageant was going to be held
- The pageant’s hectic schedule and delays in activities made things worse for her
- She also shared that she supposedly heard cryptic messages about the results of the pageant
- Furthermore, Michele also addressed the controversy about her not appearing in the pictorial of the top five candidates
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Source: UGC
Michele Gumabao, who was second runner-up for Miss Universe Philippines 2020, has opened up about the controversies that have hounded her and the pageant.
KAMI learned that Michele defended herself from her bashers and shared the difficulties she faced during the competition.
According to Michele, she fell sick and got injured days before going to Baguio City, where the pageant was going to be held. Aside from the injuries, the pageant’s hectic schedule and delays in activities made things worse for her.
“That day, I woke up, and as I took my first steps, I passed out. I collapsed.
“I cut my head, I sprained my knee, I broke my toe. It was all very challenging, because as a beauty queen, you have to walk in high heels, you have to look your best, your face has to be presentable at all times.
“It was depressing for me, it was devastating for me. I spent the whole day in bed. I didn’t know what to do. I decided to do my rehab at home, and to whatever I could at home.
“More than the pain, more than the struggle these past few weeks, it was more of the schedule that we really had to keep up with that gave me so much pressure, and that gave me… That was difficult for me.
“I was prepared to do things on my own, but I wasn’t prepared for schedules being so delayed, days wherein we weren’t able to eat because of our hectic schedules that we had to really keep up with. There were days when we were kept in our rooms not knowing why, and we were just there in our rooms.
“Those little things all built up at the end. The anxiety, all the pressure, the exhaustion… It was a lot to handle,” she explained.
Michele got more emotional after she supposedly heard cryptic messages about the results of the pageant, which was ultimately won by Miss Iloilo Rabiya Mateo. However, Michele did not specify the things she heard about the pageant results.
“I heard things I never should have heard, witnessed things I never should have witnessed as a candidate.”
“It hurt. I must admit, I went back to my room, and I cried so hard. All these questions just came back to my head – everything that I’ve been hearing for the past two days just came rushing in my head.
“I was heartbroken. I was devastated that night. I called my family and I wanted to go home. My car was waiting outside, and I could have gone home. But they told me to think about it, that whatever I decide, they would support me a hundred percent. They told me to pray,” she revealed.
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The beauty queen also addressed the controversy about her not appearing in the pictorial of the top five candidates. She shared that she was too emotionally exhausted and would have probably broken down in front of the cameras. Michele also clarified that she congratulated Rabiya for the victory and explained her situation to the organization before leaving early.
“So many questions of why, how, what overwhelming me too much.
“After knowing what I knew the past two days, everything just came crashing down on me. I couldn’t handle it. I admit, I wasn’t strong enough to handle that at that moment.
“I knew was going to break down, and I didn’t want to do that in front of the cameras.
“I went to the production that it was too hard for me, that I can’t stay here. And I told them that I really want to leave. Can we please fast-forward the feed? Because they already announced online who the winner was.
“They said they can’t, because we have to finish the feed and we’re filming. I said, ‘I can’t do this.’ Can we please just finish? And they told me they had to take the picture, and I said, ‘Can we just do it now?’ And they said they couldn’t. I said, ‘I’m sorry,’ I had to leave. And I left.
“At that moment, I just realized that for nine months, I kept putting this journey first, I kept putting this organization first. It was my time to put myself first. And I did…
“I sent a message to our winner, and I congratulated her, and I told her the reason why I’m leaving. She replied, 'Thank you.’”
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Michele Gumabao is a volleyball player, TV personality and beauty queen in the Philippines. Aside from being a former co-captain of the De La Salle University women's volleyball team, she also became more well-known due to her stint on the ABS-CBN program, “Pinoy Big Brother.” She was also crowned Binibining Pilipinas Globe in 2018.
The Miss Universe Philippines 2020 pageant has become controversial due to allegations of cheating. Miss Davao Alaiza Malinao defended the winner, Rabiya Mateo, saying that the cheating allegations against her are untrue.
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray is also one of the high-profile celebrities who expressed their support for Rabiya. The famous beauty queen supported Rabiya by welcoming her to the “sisterhood.”
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Source: KAMI.com.gh
