Get to know Michelle Dee, the new Miss Universe Philippines titleholder
Get ready, universe, because the new Miss Universe Philippines 2023 has been crowned.
Michelle Dee from Makati City took home the much coveted title when she bested 37 other candidates during the pageant's grand coronation night held at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 13.
It seems that her momentous achievement has been building up to this moment as she has slowly been gathering experience when it comes to pageantry when she was crowned Miss World Philippines in 2019 and represented the country in the international pageant.
Even though she went home defeated in the 2022 edition of Miss Universe Philippines, Dee showed that she is not a quitter as she once again set her eyes for the crown this year, and the fruits of her labor have finally bloomed.
Dee is now set to raise the country's flag at the 72nd Miss Universe pageant to be held in El Salvador.
To get to know her better, continue reading below.
CONGRATULATIONS, MICHELLE! 👸
— PhilSTAR L!fe (@philstarlife) May 13, 2023
Makati bet Michelle Dee succeeds Celeste Cortesi as the new Miss Universe Philippines. She is set to raise the country's flag in the 72nd Miss Universe to be held in El Salvador. READ: https://t.co/Pm4jJBXTir#MissUniversePhilippines2023 makati pic.twitter.com/GOnsqt2nhI
It runs in the family
Her dream to win the crown also seems to have been inspired from her family, as her mother, Melanie Marquez, had also made her mark in the world of pageantry after she became the titleholder of Miss International 1979. Consequently, Dee is also cousins with Winwyn Marquez, the first Filipina to win Miss Reina Hispanoamericana in 2017.
She admitted that people kept pressuring her to join pageants, but she didn't take it negatively. In fact, in a previous interview with Boy Abunda, Dee shared that her mom was the one who taught her how to stay strong and influenced her to inspire people to achieve their best self.
A class act
Aside from pageanty, Dee has also dabbled in showbiz, having starred in television series such as I Left My Heart in Sorsogon, Mga Lihim ni Urduja, Agimat ng Agila, among others. The Sparkle artist also appeared in two movies, including G! LU and Because I Love You, where she won Best New Movie Actress by the 36th PMPC Star Awards for Movies.
She also dabbles into modeling and has posed for several brands including Bench. In fact, Dee was signed by a New York-based modelling agency after she was scouted during a photoshoot in the city.
Beauty and brains
Dee proved she has the brains during the question and answer portions of the pageant. After all, this morena beauty finished a degree in psychology at the De La Salle University in Manila and has completed a certificate program in entrepreneurship essentials from the Harvard Business School in 2021.
A queen with a purpose
Even before she joined pageantry, Dee has been vocal about causes that are close to her heart. As a sister of two siblings with autism, Dee has been working together with the Center for Possibilities Incorporation and Autism Society Philippines to help raise awareness on autism and mental health. In January 2020, Dee was named the Goodwill Ambassador for the Autism Society Philippines.