Pageant fans may have to accept that they might not see Michele Gumabao grace the pageant stage again.
Although she didn’t directly say whether she’s open to returning to pageantry, the beauty queen and volleyball star shared that she feels she has already exhausted her years in the pageant scene.
“Yes, I think I have exhausted the years. I invested everything I could in beauty pageants when I joined back in 2018 and 2020. I’ve already achieved what I wanted back then, and I’ve learned a lot throughout,” Michele shared.
She added that she now sees herself more as a viewer and supporter than a contender.
“I’m just a spectator now, who really enjoys watching,” the beauty queen noted.
Michele was present at the recently concluded Miss Universe Philippines - Quezon City event held at the SM North Sky Dome.
At the event, the beauty queen offered some valuable advice to the competing contestants.
“I wish I could tell each and every girl competing tonight to just enjoy the moment, because it’s the last (part of the pageant journey). You can’t take back every moment you’ve spent with the girls. It’s an experience of a lifetime,” Michele said.
As someone who has been in their shoes and as a pageant veteran, she also tried to boost the girls' self-esteem.
"Just really enjoy it, knowing you did your best. Whatever happens, you should be proud of yourself and everything you’ve achieved so far," she said.
Zoe Honeyman of Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City was crowned the newest Miss Universe Philippines - Quezon City.
Michele, herself, was a former representative of Quezon City in the Miss Universe Philippines national pageant in 2020.
During the Miss Universe coronation night, she finished as second runner-up, behind titleholder Rabiya Mateo of Iloilo City and first runner-up Ysabella Ysmael of Parañaque.
Still, that wasn’t Michele’s first foray into the pageant scene.
In 2018, Michele competed in Binibining Pilipinas 2018, the 55th edition of the pageant, held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
During the pageant, the volleyball star-turned-beauty queen went head-to-head against some of the strongest contenders in the pageant scene, including Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Miss International 2018 1st runner-up Ahtisa Manalo, Miss Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman, and Miss Grand International 2020 1st runner-up Samantha Bernardo.
The beauty queen went on to bring home the Binibining Pilipinas - Globe 2018 crown. In October of the same year, she went on to represent the Philippines at the Miss Globe 2018 pageant held in Albania.
At Miss Globe pageant, Michele earned a top 15 finish and won special awards, including Miss Social Media and the Dream Girl Award.
—By Jemuel Tandoc