Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Marquez Dee (Image by Doc Marlon/Michelle Dee Instagram)

Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Marquez Dee said she was not bothered by critics who continue to question her victory in the prestigious national contest.

"It's expected, it's very inevitable because you have fans supporting different bets, and when their bets don't win, they'll have a negative reaction. So for me, how does it affect me? It doesn't. I don't give anyone, especially those who don't know me or the right to affect who I am or who I believe I am," said Michelle when asked about her pageant critics, during an interview with GMA Network entertainment broadcaster Nelson Canlas in his podcast "Updated With Nelson Canlas" last Wednesday night.

Michelle also confirmed that she was grace under pressure during the grand coronation of the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 pageant.

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Asked how she stayed calm during the competition, Michelle said: "I've been through a lot of failures in my life. I've been through a lot of struggles, especially this past year. But confidence is built through experience. It's through acknowledging that you are not perfect.

"So every day I don't waste time fostering things that make me feel weak, but I'm always building towards becoming better every single day. I'm always putting my efforts to good use.

"And because I put in the work, it'll show in the output as well. And ultimately that's what builds confidence. It's knowing that you put in the work and hoping that people see through that.

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"So I've always been a hard worker. I've always been a go-getter. But once upon a time, I was an insecure little girl. I was, of course, especially when I was starting out in my career, but through experience, it really built my confidence," she said.

Michelle added: "The pressure was high, but I didn't feel any pressure, overtime I had to go out and do my rampa.I was just as calm as anyone could be. I was just having so much fun. And I think that's the product of divine intervention. I prayed so hard."

The daughter of former Miss International Melanie Marquez admitted she was heartbroken when she did not win the Miss Universe Philippines crown in 2022. She said that her best friends Rhian Ramos and Max Collins were witnesses to that.

"They saw how much it broke my heart not to win last year. And this year, they witnessed how hard I worked to get the crown. So they really saw the blood, sweat, and tears and the dedication that I put just to win this crown and a lot of people are saying, oh, you know, this, this, this, and this. But it's the people closest to me that really can attest to how passionate I was and how dedicated I was to achieving my goal," Michelle also said.

Michelle will represent the Philippines at the 2023 Miss Universe Competition in El Salavdor later this year.