Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 24) — Philippine bet Celeste Cortesi expressed gratitude to Filipinos and to her loved ones as she announced her return to the country.
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“I’ve always had the burning passion for my country,” Cortesi said on her Instagram post. “To my country, I stand proud to be a Filipina.”
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CELESTE CORTESI 🦋 on Instagram: “I’m finally back home. 🇵🇭 The entire year has been the most challenging, and yet most exciting time of my life. To represent my country, The Philippines, is my greatest honor. I’ve always had the burning passion for my country, I was always very curious about The Philippines with its Islands, People and Culture and I will continue the pursuit of my Filipina Identity. I challenged myself and stepped out of my comfort zone by flying here alone as a very young woman. I’ve always known by heart that there are NO limits in what you can achieve as long as you are committed to the vision and your intentions are pure, as I have done by pushing myself beyond my limits in the services of my advocacies, training, and learning. I am discovering purposes that goes beyond my self ambitions and I am immensely grateful to have had the chance to represent all Filipinos and all the sweet fans of pageantry around the world. 🇵🇭 To my team, thank you for being my safe place. You all believed in me more than anyone else and I am honored to be a part of this family. ❤️ To my fans, I feel your love, I hear your support, and I see your messages everyday. I now believe that my purpose is to inspire, and I will NEVER stop inspiring and motivating all of you, with or without the Universe Crown. I am committed. 👑 To my family and loved ones, thank you for never leaving my side. I wouldn’t know what to do without you. I am the luckiest person in the world and even tho I don’t express it as much as I would want to, just know I truly love you. To my country, I stand PROUD to be a Filipina. To my father, you guided me up to this day, you still are and will always do. I feel your protection. If you are redirecting me to a different path, to what is truly meant for me, I trust you and I know I still am in the right place at the right time. Thank you , my guardian angel. 🦋 Love, Celeste Rabimbi Cortesi Forever your Miss Philippines. 🇵🇭🦋”
151K Likes, 6,740 Comments – CELESTE CORTESI 🦋 (@celeste_cortesi) on Instagram: “I’m finally back home. 🇵🇭 The entire year has been the most challenging, and yet most exciting time of my life. To represent my country, The Philippines, is my greatest honor.
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Cortesi also said representing her country in the Miss Universe beauty contest was her “greatest honor” as it also allowed her to discover “purposes that go beyond self ambition.”
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“I’ve always known by heart that there are no limits in what you can achieve as long as you are committed to the vision and your intentions are pure,” Cortesi said.
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The beauty queen also dedicated the post to her late father, who she refers to as her “guardian angel.”
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“To my father, you guided me up to this day,” Coretesi said. “I feel your protection. If you are redirecting me to a different path, to what is truly meant for me, I trust you.”
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Cortesi ended her journey after failing to enter the top 16 of the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
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