Michelle Dee, 28, wins the Miss Universe Philippines 2023

Hailing from Makati in Philippines, the actress beat 37 other contestants and will now take part in the upcoming Miss Universe 2023 pageant in El Salvador later this year. Here is what you should know about the winner who has taken the internet by storm.

During the evening gown competition, Dee impressed the judges with her flamboyant personality. She wore a haute couture gown inspired by her mother Melanie Marquez. Her mother clinched the Miss International crown back in 1979.

Dee's family is no stranger to beauty pageants. Her mother is a former beauty queen and pageant promoter who has trained many beauty queens who have gone on to represent the Philippines on the international stage. Dee's cousin, Winwyn Marquez, was crowned Miss Reina Hispoamericana in 2017.

Apart from her achievements in the pageant world, Dee is also known for her advocacy for the autism community. Growing up with two siblings with autism, she used her voice to raise awareness for this condition and was named the Goodwill Ambassador of the Autism Society of the Philippines in 2020.

Before competing in Miss Universe Philippines, Dee was already a pageant veteran, having been crowned Miss World Philippines 2019.

Dee, who is a rising actress and was featured in films including series like ''Mga Lihim ni Urduja" is a graduate in psychology. It’s yet to be known if she will re-create the same magic on the Miss Universe 2023 platform, but here’s wishing her luck.