Matapos mabatikos ng Pinoy pageant fans si Miss Grand International founder Nawat Itsaragrisil, may isiniwalat ito tungkol sa representative ng Pilipinas na si Nikki de Moura.
Si Nikki ay hindi kasama sa Top 20.
Ang mga kandidatang nakapasok ay mula sa Myanmar, United States, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Honduras, Laos, Dominican Republic, Colombia, India, Ukraine, Thailand, Peru, Angola, Netherlands, Uzbekistan, France, Spain, at Vietnam.
Ang kandidata mula sa Peru na si Luciana Fuster ang nanalo sa Miss Grand International 2023, na ginanap ang grand coronation night sa Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, noong nakaraang October 25, 2023.
Sa eleven years ng Miss Grand International, wala pang Pinay candidate na nag-uuwi ng korona.
Ang pinakamataas na puwesto na nakuha ng Pilipinas ay 1st runner-up: sina Nicole Cordoves noong 2016 at Samantha Bernardo noong 2020.
Dahil dito ay pinaparatangan ng Pinoy pageant fans na “cooking show” ang pageant na itinatag ng Thai millionaire na si Nawat.
Kahapon, October 29, 2023, sa isang TikTok video na pinagpasa-pasahan na ng ilang pageant sites, naglabas ng “real story” si Nawat ukol sa diumano’y attitude ni Nikki sa ilang kandidata at sa mismong sa staff ng pageant.
Matapos daw i-anunsiyo ang Top 20, mabilis na nagpunta si Nikki sa backstage saka umalis.
Ani Nawat, “I give you one million US dollar if your candidate not going to join so many things, not going to join a lot of things.
“Especially after not top 20, she quick back, pack, and go out from the backstage.
“Even so many people, security, going to talk, because we invest a lot of money, almost one month to make a good show.
“A lot of rehearsal, we pay a lot, but she don’t care anyone, she want to skip, she want to walk.
“She’s not polite to everyone around her, to run out, not going on the stage.
“And the director, he come from front side to backstage, agree with her, take her back immediately.”
Si Arnold Vegafria ang “director” na tinutukoy ni Nawat. Siya ang national director ng pageant franchise sa Pilipinas.
Tradisyon na sa mga pageants na ang hindi nakapasok sa winner’s circle ay kailangang nasa venue pa rin dahil kasama pa sila sa ilang portions hanggang sa makoronahan ang winner.
Dagdag pa ni Nawat, “What do you think? Did you did you try to the world, to others?
“Yes, this is the real story. You can see her after Top 20 on the stage?
“Did you see her, if you see her? I give you 1 million US dollar, it difficult to work with her.
“It’s very difficult to cooperate, every day until the end of day. She did what she want.
“She don’t pay attention to others. She don’t respect. She don’t have responsibility.
“We training the show it, It’s part of show. It’s very difficult.
“We lose a lot of money, but she don’t care anyone. She don’t care, even Filipino fans.
“So you should know I argue she’s a real queen or not.”
Mas klaro ang pahayag na inilabas ng ilang pageant sites: “It’s not my fault & your candidate did not make it to Top 20. After announcing the Top 20 she decided to walk out, even her National Director did not stop her.
“We invested a lot of money from day 1 to rehearsal up to finals and not showing up makes her very unprofessional.
“The problem with you is choosing the wrong candidate to compete, from day one she has a lot of problem/fault. You Filipinos stop blaming me as you have chosen the wrong candidate to compete.”
Samantala, nag-post naman si Nikki sa Instagram pagkatapos ng pageant.
Ayon sa kanya, ginawa raw niya ang lahat, pero nabigo siyang maitaas ang bandera ng Pilipinas.
Bahagi ng caption ng kanyang post, “I poured my heart and soul into representing Philippines and my heart aches with disappointment.
“But even in the face of this heartache, I choose gratitude. Life is a journey filled with ups and downs, and I’m determined to make the most of every moment.
“I understand I may still be young, I will continue to work hard, learn, and grow, because I believe that disappointment is only a stepping stone to future success.
“This is not the end…. just the start of something greater, and I’m excited to see where life’s adventures will take me.
“Now, I stand before you, not as a part of the top 20, but as someone who gave her all #missgrandinternational2023”
Nagpadala na ng mensahe ang PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa publicist ni Arnold Vegafria.
Bukas ang website sa pahayag niya at ni Nikki.
