REIGNING Miss Earth Angelia Ong has admitted that she felt bad when her win in 2015 was overshadowed by Pia Wurtzbach's success in the Miss Universe pageant.
Speaking in "Tonight with Boy Abunda" on Wednesday, the beauty queen explained that when she won the beauty competition in Vienna, Austria last December 5, 2015, she somehow expected a grand welcome back home.
But two weeks after her success in Miss Earth, the country was celebrating a different win, specifically Wurtzbach's coveted Miss Universe crown, which ended the country's 42-year title drought.
"As Miss Earth nalungkot ako nang kaunti. Hindi na ako nagkaroon ng opportunity to have a welcome home parade. I wasn't also able to meet the President, even the past one. Nasaktan talaga ako," she said.
The Ilongga beauty added that even though she shed a few tears over her disappointment, she tried to remember why she joined the competition.
"It's not just about fame or about the attention, I joined not only for myself and my family, but also for the core and advocacy of the pageant, which is protecting the environment," she said.
Ong clarified though that she has no ill feelings toward Wurtzbach.
Even though they are yet to meet in person, Ong said she's happy of Wurtzbach's success.
"As a Filipina, I'm so proud of her. I adore her. I respect iyong pinagdaanan niya. Nakaka-relate kasi ako. It wasn't also easy for me, I also had a couple of pageants before winning the crown," she said.
Ong is slated to crown her successor on Saturday, October 29 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
She said it's going to be a bittersweet moment but she's looking forward to the next chapter of her life.
"Kinakabahan [na] medyo nalulungkot. I'm a little bit scared but more than anything I'm very excited. I'm ready for my next adventure," she ended. (Sunnex)