We know Filipinos take beauty pageants and their queens very seriously. They have come to expect their candidates to take home the crown or at the very least, place in the top 5 or the semifinals.

But in the real world, we win some, we lose some.

In the interest of public service, we present our readers the 2023 Miss Philippines scoreboard, which we promise to update as developments happen.

You’re welcomeQ

Oh, the sheer absurdity of it all! Almost two weeks have passed since Miss Philippines, Nikki De Moura, didn’t make it to the top 20 in the Miss Grand International Beauty Pageant, and yet here we are, drowning in a sea of “ifs” and “buts.” It’s as if the world has come to a screeching halt, with everyone seemingly incapable of moving on. The news media, in particular, seems to have discovered a bottomless well of what-should-have-been and what-could-have-been scenarios.

Can we please just accept reality? Miss Philippines didn’t win. The earth still spins, the sun rises, and life goes on. But no, we’re too busy contemplating alternate universes where she clinched the crown, as if that would solve all the world’s problems. 

Will we see this scenario play out all over again if Michelle Dee doesn’t bring home the Miss Universe crown?

Perhaps it’s time to redirect our collective energy towards more pressing matters, like climate change or global inequality. After all, there are far more important “ifs” and “buts” that demand our attention than a beauty pageant outcome. Let’s not let a tiara obsession distract us from reality any longer.