MJ Lastimosa, may inamin tungkol sa kontrobersiyal na national costume niya noon

• MJ Lastimosa revisited the controversy surrounding her national costume at Miss Universe 2014
• The beauty queen revealed that she did not see the costume before arriving at the competition
• Her floral ensemble drew criticism from pageant fans, with some comparing it to a birthday cake
• Despite the past backlash, MJ now sees the costume's continued online presence as a meme

Former beauty queen MJ Lastimosa has opened up about the controversy surrounding her national costume at Miss Universe 2014, revealing that she did not get to see the outfit before arriving at the international pageant.

More than a decade after representing the Philippines, the costume remains a topic of discussion among pageant enthusiasts and social media users. Its elaborate floral decorations and matching headpiece drew criticism at the time, with some netizens comparing the ensemble to a birthday cake.

During her guest appearance on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda on Thursday, October 15, MJ discussed the memorable incident alongside her Red Crown co-stars Ara Arida and Bianca Manalo. She described the costume controversy as the biggest issue she experienced during her time as a beauty queen.

“My national costume na mukhang hanggang ngayon napag-uusapan pa rin. Dati pinagtatawanan pero ngayon naging ano na...”

MJ explained that contestants did not have the freedom to choose their national costumes under the pageant arrangements at the time. Instead, the organization provided the outfits, which were sent directly to the candidates.

"Kasi before, 'di naman kami nakakapag-decide kung ano yung susuotin namin kasi ibibigay na lang ng organization, ipapadala na lang sa 'yo," she said.

The beauty queen recalled that she only encountered her gowns upon arriving at the competition venue. Consequently, she was also surprised by the national costume prepared for her.

"So I met my gowns when I was there in the competition so nagulat din yung mga... 'cause we've been making it to the top five so pataas nang pataas ang expectation kay Miss Philippines at that point," she added.

"And then they were expecting so much and then they saw that and they said, 'Oh, we could have done better' gano'n."

At the time, expectations for the Philippine representative were high, particularly as the country had established a strong presence in the competition. The costume's reception therefore became a particularly memorable part of MJ's pageant experience.

Despite the criticism, MJ appears to have developed a relaxed attitude toward the subject. Rather than treating the outfit's continued circulation online as a source of embarrassment, she acknowledged how its reputation has evolved over the years.

"So before it was a joke but ngayon parang naging meme na lang talaga siya."

Her remarks highlight how a moment that once attracted negative attention can eventually become part of internet culture. The costume continues to resurface in discussions among pageant followers, even 12 years after her Miss Universe appearance.

Mary Jean "MJ" Lastimosa is a Filipina beauty pageant titleholder, actress, model, and television host who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2014. Representing the Philippines on the international stage, she finished as a Top 10 finalist at the Miss Universe 2014 competition before transitioning into a career in acting, hosting, and business.

In another report, Bianca Manalo addressed questions about why her name often surfaces in rumors involving alleged third parties. During her appearance on Boy Abunda’s show, the actress and beauty queen admitted she could not explain why she kept getting linked to different people. She even joked that perhaps she needed to be “taken” again.

Meanwhile, Rabiya Mateo caught attention after posting an Instagram Reel featuring Jake Cuenca on her official account. The beauty queen and actress accompanied the clip with the caption, “Happy looks good on us.” The video quickly gained traction, surpassing one million views at the time of reporting.

Source: KAMI.com.gh