Weeks after winning the highly coveted rights to representing the Philippines in the 2019 Miss Universe pageant, Gazini Ganados is still on cloud nine. “It’s very overwhelming. Sometimes, natutulala na lang ako and I ask myself kung totoo ba ito”, the newly crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2019 relates. She admits hoping and praying hard to win the title.
There were forty candidates, including Gazini, vying for the crown but the beauty queen says she never raced with anyone else other than herself. “Mahigpit na kalaban? Sarili ko because there will be days that you will be doubting yourself if you are worth it, and if all these things are meant for you. And at the end of the day, you have a lot of criticisms all around, mapapaisip ka rin,” Gazini shares.
Taking cue from this experience, Gazini advises fellow beauty queens to refrain from using social media while in the heat of a pageant. “Because it will affect you holistically, it will make you question yourself,” she adds.
Talking about doubting herself, Gazini still continues to receive criticisms from her detractors.There are others who say Gazini failed to give an excellent answer in the Binibining Pilipinas 2019 Q and A round.
“I appreciate the criticism and I know there are still so much to learn and improve within myself. The first step is accepting it,” Gazini’s reaction to the strike of negative comments. Although, Gazini finds it offensive when the critics go over the belt, adding that she desires for everyone’s unity as her battle in Miss Universe is not for her personal gains but for the Philippine’s pride rather.