MJ Lastimosa takes up the cudgels for MUPH ‘repeaters’
Seasoned pageant titleholder MJ Lastimosa, a beauty contest “repeater” herself, has voiced out her defense of seasoned aspirants who continue to chase crowns now that the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 competition’s roster has welcomed veterans anew.
“Since you have the opportunity, hindi naman ipinagbabawal iyong mga repeater, hindi naman pinagbabawalan iyong veterans (repeaters and veterans are not prohibited from joining), who are we to say that your dreams are not valid?” she told INQUIRER.net in an interview at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on Feb. 11.
Lastimosa was in the hotel to help crown the city’s official delegate to the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, seasoned aspirant Jasmine Paguio who has competed in national contests.
“Pageantry is also about the girl and her individual dreams, individual choices and what she wants to achieve. So I feel if she is still unfinished, and there are more goals that she wants to step forward to, then there shouldn’t be a problem with that. And instead, we should just support everybody,” Paguio told INQUIRER.net.
Lastimosa competed three times in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant before earning the right to represent the Philippines in the Miss Universe contest. And she said she was surprised at how her journey has touched people’s lives.
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“There were a lot of people, they took their board exam for the third time, for the fourth time, and they were looking up to me, they were inspired. So you can never tell who you wll inspire, who you can give hope and joy to,” she shared.
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“Wala namang masama kung i-try natin. Kung ako, sige na, pagbigyan na natin ang lahat ng may gusto (There is nothing wrong if we try. If it were up to me, go on, let us allow everyone who wants to join). Why not celebrate the Filipina beauty, and why not support every Filipina who are chasing their dreams?” Lastimosa continued.
Paguio represented the Filipino community of Toronto, Canada, in the 2022 Miss Philippines Earth pageant, where she emerged as a runner-up. She is also a runner-up in the 2024 Hiyas ng Pilipinas contest, and competed in the 2024 Miss Manila: Woman of Wonder competition.
She said she understands where those who oppose pageant veterans are coming from. “With every batch of queens there is a new girl to look forward to every single time. And it is hard, because for me personally also, I feel like I am going against some pageant veterans who competed way more times than me,” Paguio explained.
Lastimosa confessed that she veered away from social media during her third attempt at the crown. “There are a lot of noise around me that I am not sure if I should listen to or not. I was trying to listen to what my heart was telling me. So at the end ot the day, people are going to have their opinions. And that’s their opinion, you cannot force them to be on the same boat with you,” she shared.
“Even Tito Rodgil [Flores] from [Kagandahang Flores pageant camp] told us, sino tayo para pagbawalan iyong isang babae sa pangarap niya (who are we to prevent women from pursuing their dreams)? Iyon talaga ang na-instill sa utak ko (that was what was instilled in my brain),” she continued.
Lastimosa also shared that Flores asked her to call 2004 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maricar Balagtas, who joined the national contest three times before winning a crown.
“At the time I did not have any inspiration other than [Balagtas], iyon ang alam kong sumali ng pangatlong beses (she was the only one I knew who competed three times), I was looking up to her,” Lastimosa said.
Joining Lastimosa in helping crown Paguio as Miss Universe Philippines-Manila 2025 was her 2014 Bb. Pilipinas batchmate KC Halili, who was crowned Miss Manila in 2014.