Our young and determined Miss PLDT Home hopes to mark her ‘uniquely beautiful’ journey with a crown

Filipinos from all over the world, get ready to cheer for our very own Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi as she takes on the biggest competition of her life. Catch our very own contender, concurrently crowned Miss PLDT Home, at the world’s most prestigious and anticipated pageant as it returns for its 2022 edition on January 15, 9 a.m. (Philippine time).

Miss Universe celebrates what makes each queen “uniquely beautiful.” This includes being their best and most beautiful selves by proudly representing their roots and culture and supporting meaningful advocacies with hopes to impact the world. With this campaign, Miss Universe seeks to empower women from all over the world to exemplify their charitable hearts and reveal their better and stronger versions.

Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi easily embodies a beautiful queen inside and out. The Filipino-Italian model and PLDT Home ambassador strongly advocates women’s education, alongside protecting and preserving the country’s indigenous people and culture.

A family woman, Cortesi has spoken about her deep care and love for her family – who has been extra supportive of her entire beauty pageant journey.

“My mom always expressed her desire for me joining and becoming Miss Universe. She’s always been very supportive of me. She would always encourage and motivate me during challenging times in my competitions. She is my strength,” Cortesi told the press months before the Miss Universe pageant.

Celeste, however, admitted that her road to the big stage naturally came across challenges. But it’s the connections with her support group – made much stronger courtesy of PLDT Home – that only shaped her to be more ready than ever.

“I connect with my mother in Italy through the many social platforms available. She is constantly updated with my daily activities and whereabouts,” the 25-year-old model said. “We are so thankful for good internet connectivity because I can video-call my mother, my sister, and my best friend all the way from Italy with no interruptions. We get to catch up and see how much we’ve grown since the last time we saw each other physically.”

Ahead of Miss Universe, Cortesi is now in New Orleans, Louisiana making waves with her gorgeous looks she has since been posting on social media. She will be witness to another star-studded event, with Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo and Emmy award-winning TV personality Jeannie Mai Jenkins as hosts and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and entertainment host Zuri Hall as backstage commentators.

With family, friends, fellow queens, and the rest of Filipinos behind this young, determined queen, Cortesi looks to succeed India’s Harnaaz Sandhu and take home the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown. She has come prepared, but for now, she said, it all boils down to faith.

“My life story is still being written. Every day is a new page on the scripts. I expect to make my story more inspiring.”