WATCH: Nicole Borromeo on PEP Live!

PEP.ph

Watch 2023 Miss International 3rd Runner-Up Nicole Borromeo talk about her beauty pageant journey and her future plans in this episode of PEP Live.   #nicoleborromeo #missinternational #beautyqueen  Hosts: Nikko Tuazon & Bernie Franco Live Stream Director: John Mariano Live Stream Producer: Rommel Llanes Coordinated by Nikko Tuazon  Subscribe to our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/PEPMediabox  Know the latest in showbiz at http://www.pep.ph  Follow us!  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pepalerts/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PEPalerts  Twitter: https://twitter.com/pepalerts  Visit our DailyMotion channel! https://www.dailymotion.com/PEPalerts  Join us on Viber: https://bit.ly/PEPonViber  Watch us on Kumu: pep.ph

Transcript

00:00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:00:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:00:39 Mic test, mic, mic.

00:00:40 Hello, fellow Fabsters, hello.

00:00:42 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:00:50 Hello, hello, hello, fellow Fabsters.

00:00:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:01:02 [MUSIC]

00:01:12 [MUSIC]

00:01:22 Hello, my little babes, this is Nico Tualzon and welcome to PEP Live.

00:01:39 >> Hello, Fabsters, I'm Tin Vailon and

00:01:43 very special [FOREIGN] for today's video.

00:01:47 >> [FOREIGN]

00:02:09 >> It's International 2023,

00:02:11 third runner up, Nicole Baromeo.

00:02:13 >> [APPLAUSE]

00:02:15 >> [FOREIGN]

00:02:17 >> [APPLAUSE]

00:02:19 >> [FOREIGN]

00:02:21 >> Thank you for the introduction,

00:02:23 I feel so happy to be here.

00:02:24 >> So welcome to PEP Live, Miss Nicole, how are you feeling?

00:02:27 >> I feel very honored because like you said, this is your first ever live and

00:02:31 I get to be your first ever guest.

00:02:33 And it's my first time here with you guys, so today is extra special.

00:02:37 >> [FOREIGN]

00:02:47 >> And for today is #NicoleBaromeo on PEP Live.

00:02:51 And if you have questions, just put them in the comment section down below.

00:02:54 We'll ask them to Miss Nicole.

00:02:56 And we're live on- >> Facebook, YouTube, and Kumu.

00:03:00 >> So share it, guys, we're live on there, drop gifts, you know that.

00:03:03 >> Yeah.

00:03:04 >> Okay, you go first.

00:03:06 >> There, so how was it, Nicole,

00:03:09 returning to the Philippines after Miss International, and

00:03:13 you got the third runner up?

00:03:16 >> [FOREIGN] It was so long there, and it was such an incredible experience.

00:03:25 That to bring home the top five back to the Philippines,

00:03:30 it feels really heartwarming because I felt that support.

00:03:34 I felt that it was a shared victory,

00:03:37 that I wouldn't have been there if it weren't for

00:03:40 all the love of the Filipino people.

00:03:43 So being back here, it feels amazing.

00:03:45 We've been having media rounds since last week, credit to Sir Leroyd.

00:03:50 And yeah, it's been amazing, and I'm excited for what's in store.

00:03:57 >> [FOREIGN]

00:03:59 >> [FOREIGN]

00:04:02 >> What's the first thing that you did after the pageant?

00:04:07 >> You mean like the day after or like- >> The day after.

00:04:11 >> God, well, actually, fun little fact, the day after,

00:04:16 we had to transfer hotels.

00:04:18 So the top five stayed while the rest had to prepare and

00:04:22 fly back to their respective countries.

00:04:24 While we were packing, it's [FOREIGN]

00:04:28 because you have to do your own packing by yourself.

00:04:33 So all the four giant luggages that I had,

00:04:37 I had to zip and bring down on my own.

00:04:41 And it's really a different experience doing that.

00:04:45 Before we headed to the hotel, we actually stopped by McDonald's.

00:04:49 And the McDonald's in Japan is really good.

00:04:53 They've got all these different flavors.

00:04:56 They don't have any rice though, which was such a surprise.

00:05:00 They say, we love our rice.

00:05:02 [LAUGH]

00:05:03 And the rice in Japan is fantastic.

00:05:06 But we tried the little burgers and the McFlurry,

00:05:11 it hits different there.

00:05:13 [LAUGH]

00:05:14 So that was that, we enjoyed a good meal.

00:05:17 We headed straight to the hotel and we were just finally given the chance

00:05:23 to breathe and relax and take in the wind.

00:05:27 >> Yes.

00:05:28 >> We got to hold on to our crowns and really cherish it.

00:05:31 [FOREIGN] We don't get to bring it home though.

00:05:33 >> [FOREIGN]

00:05:43 >> For the runner ups, I was surprised that it's all the same, the design.

00:05:53 So first runner up, second runner up, third and fourth,

00:05:55 the design of the crown is the same.

00:05:57 And it's, like you said, super big.

00:06:01 >> Super big, yeah.

00:06:03 >> [FOREIGN]

00:06:11 >> What was going through your mind, Nicole, when they started calling the winners?

00:06:22 >> Wow, when they started calling the winners,

00:06:25 I was a lot calmer than I thought that I would be.

00:06:31 Because at that point, we've already done the best that we could, all of us.

00:06:36 So in my head, I was already thinking, whatever you want, God,

00:06:41 whatever your plan is, if it's for me, that would be amazing.

00:06:46 If it's not, then I'll completely understand.

00:06:49 And to make it to top five felt like an incredible achievement

00:06:54 because this is the first year that they've had 70 countries, I think.

00:06:58 I think it's one of the largest number of candidates to compete in Miss International.

00:07:03 And it's also a year that's evolving.

00:07:06 It was the first time ever in the history of Miss International for

00:07:10 them to put in the Q&A portion.

00:07:13 Because every year, Miss International has been known iconically for their speeches.

00:07:19 And so that's what I really just prepared for when I got there.

00:07:23 My speech, and I was ready to do that.

00:07:26 And we find out on the day that we arrived that they will be changing things up.

00:07:30 They also removed the swimsuit, which I thought was really interesting.

00:07:34 The production went so smoothly.

00:07:37 And the national costume that Miss Axe designed is so bold and colorful.

00:07:44 It felt so great that we had the creative freedom to do whatever we wanted

00:07:51 in terms of styling for this competition.

00:07:53 Let's share your experiences later.

00:07:56 But you had a biggest challenge that day.

00:08:00 Biggest challenge?

00:08:02 Okay, so you really like this story.

00:08:07 So before we started this interview, I'll actually share this story to you guys.

00:08:13 I'll share it again.

00:08:15 On the day of the coronation, we had rehearsals in the morning.

00:08:21 All 70 of us were gathered on the stage.

00:08:25 And we really took in the fact that this was the last time we would be seeing each other.

00:08:32 One of our chaperones, KJ, comes in, and he tells us to close our eyes.

00:08:37 He gives us a whole speech that he prepared.

00:08:40 And it almost sounds like a meditation because he was saying things like,

00:08:44 "You know, you girls are so special.

00:08:47 Each one of you are representing your country with pride.

00:08:51 You're already winners.

00:08:53 And getting to know you, your looks are the least most beautiful thing about you.

00:09:00 It's your heart. It's your story. It's your spirit."

00:09:03 And the way he said it just made me bawl my eyes out.

00:09:07 I was a sobbing mess.

00:09:09 It's not even the cute cries where it's just, "One tear la."

00:09:12 It's the whole ugly crying.

00:09:16 And thank God I had my shades on because I was like, "I cannot do this. I cannot do this."

00:09:21 And even after he gave the speech, one of the girls, I think Miss Jamaica, Sabrina,

00:09:28 she apparently wrote a poem.

00:09:30 So she shared that poem, like spoken word.

00:09:34 And I forgot most of her lines.

00:09:36 I can't say it as perfectly as she did.

00:09:40 But when she did, that made me cry again.

00:09:44 So it was just like tears on top of tears on top of tears.

00:09:48 And yeah, my eyes were so swollen that I told myself, "It's okay. It's okay.

00:09:55 It'll go down later. It'll go down later."

00:09:58 But yes, moments before the pageant started, my eye was not --

00:10:04 my eye was still very swollen.

00:10:07 And it was specifically the right eye.

00:10:10 I couldn't open my eyes properly.

00:10:13 I found out that it developed into a sty.

00:10:16 So my right eye got infected.

00:10:18 But I pushed through.

00:10:20 Laban lang.

00:10:22 And hey, we made it.

00:10:24 Top five, baby.

00:10:26 How are your eyes? Are you wearing glasses?

00:10:28 Just kidding.

00:10:30 So we'll find out more about her experience in Miss International 2020

00:10:38 in our PEP Challenge that we call Social Media Raid.

00:10:44 So let's wait for PEP.

00:10:59 What we'll do is we'll show the pictures.

00:11:02 Later.

00:11:03 And here's our mechanics for today's video.

00:11:09 Or we're just joking.

00:11:11 We're not on camera.

00:11:12 I'm just kidding.

00:11:13 The mechanics is she'll flash photos on screen from Nicole's Instagram.

00:11:19 And she'll tell the stories behind that photo.

00:11:22 Okay, let's go.

00:11:23 First picture.

00:11:25 There, it'll come out.

00:11:27 Oh, I can tell you all about this day.

00:11:32 So for the first time in Miss International history,

00:11:38 I decided since I had so many months to prepare,

00:11:42 I figured it would be a good idea to ask for a courtesy visit

00:11:47 with the ambassador of Japan in the Philippines.

00:11:51 So Ambassador Kaz was so open that he not only invited us to the office,

00:11:59 he invited us to his residence.

00:12:02 So when we visited, he was sharing the similarities between the Philippines

00:12:08 and Japan, certain cuisines that are like fusions.

00:12:13 An example would be the guava sinigang.

00:12:15 He thought that's a delicious mix of the two.

00:12:21 And in this picture, he was saying that "Baltas 5,"

00:12:26 which is an anime, really blew up in the Philippines.

00:12:31 So it originated in Japan because, yes, anime.

00:12:35 And because the fans were so big here in the country,

00:12:38 it kind of became an icon, a shared love for the series.

00:12:44 And in his residence, he had his own little "Baltas 5" action figure.

00:12:51 So he showed it off with pride.

00:12:53 So we were surrounded by the press, and we were taking pictures with it.

00:12:58 It was really nice.

00:12:59 We also got to check out his garden.

00:13:01 He had a huge garden, and it just rained that day.

00:13:07 And I was in white pants.

00:13:09 You see where this is going, right?

00:13:11 Mapute.

00:13:12 He goes, "Come on, let's go see the garden."

00:13:15 And I don't want to be like--I don't want to be "arte."

00:13:18 So I said, "Yeah, let's go."

00:13:20 And when I stepped on the grass, I immediately regretted my decision

00:13:23 because I started to stink.

00:13:26 I was like, "No!"

00:13:29 And, yeah, by the end of it, I had ombre pants from light to dark.

00:13:37 He made "Baltas 5" so that it would be older than the three of us.

00:13:41 Have you watched?

00:13:42 Yes, with you.

00:13:44 When did you watch it?

00:13:45 Now.

00:13:46 I haven't seen it yet, actually.

00:13:48 He did a live action with GMA.

00:13:52 He's like Transformers.

00:13:54 Cute.

00:13:55 Okay, next picture.

00:13:58 Oh, man. This is so nice.

00:14:01 That picture, the girl on the right beside me,

00:14:04 that's actually former Miss Universe Japan, Mary Belen.

00:14:09 That's me during my meet and greet.

00:14:12 So I have a friend who's from Cebu as well who moved to Japan,

00:14:18 and I told him, like, "Oh, I'm going to be going there a few days earlier.

00:14:22 Do you think that you could take me around?

00:14:24 I want to visit the ambassador of the Philippines there."

00:14:27 And he says, "We're going to arrange a meet and greet for you."

00:14:32 And I said, "Really? In Japan?

00:14:35 Like, what's the first time it's ever happened? So sweet."

00:14:41 The Filipino community there is just so supportive,

00:14:44 and it made me feel extra special because when you're working in Japan,

00:14:49 you're really on your own, right?

00:14:51 Like when you travel, you have to take the train, you have to carry your things.

00:14:55 If you have work, you have to go after work.

00:14:57 If you have an event, you have to do your own hair and makeup.

00:14:59 Or if you get somebody, it's going to cost a fortune.

00:15:02 But the fact that there were people who not only went to the dinner,

00:15:07 but they actually paid to go to the meet and greet.

00:15:12 I couldn't believe that Mary Belen was even one of them.

00:15:15 I was just overjoyed. You can see that smile.

00:15:18 I'm just like, "Yeah, yeah."

00:15:21 I actually came from Osaka that day because I did a collab shoot there,

00:15:27 and we took a bullet train and went straight to the dinner.

00:15:30 It was exhausting, but the moment I saw everybody and their smile,

00:15:34 I was like, "Wow, these people are here for me."

00:15:37 The wait was really worth it.

00:15:41 So you felt the love of the Filipino fans and supporters in Osaka, right?

00:15:49 I can't hear you.

00:15:50 I'm not hearing you.

00:15:52 Yes, Osaka.

00:15:53 Have you been to Osaka?

00:15:55 Not in my dreams.

00:15:57 Soon.

00:15:59 I'll show you the next picture.

00:16:02 Oh, this one was one of the free days that we had.

00:16:08 I think in the morning we had the shamisen and the koto.

00:16:16 Those are the two traditional instruments in Japan, super old.

00:16:22 They gave us a live performance.

00:16:25 I'm telling you, when you hear it in person, I don't know what it does.

00:16:29 I felt it in my soul.

00:16:32 That's how beautiful it sounds in person.

00:16:37 The way you play it, the shamisen only has three strings,

00:16:43 but it sounds like it has six.

00:16:46 It sounds like it's so easy to use, but we had three girls try it on,

00:16:51 and they had a pretty hard time trying to keep up.

00:16:54 If you see that pick, it looks like something you'd use as a mend.

00:16:59 It's so big, right?

00:17:01 It was so fun because he not only played his own original songs,

00:17:06 but he even played songs we knew, like some Michael Jackson.

00:17:10 I remember by the end of it, we were all dancing.

00:17:14 We were right in front of the stage, and we were jumping up and down

00:17:17 as if we were in some kind of rave.

00:17:20 We were just jamming to traditional instruments.

00:17:25 That one, right? It's like he's holding a flag.

00:17:29 For the girl, the koto, or the Kyoto? I think it's called the koto.

00:17:33 I could be wrong.

00:17:35 You lay it down, and she has these ivory nails that she puts on her fingers.

00:17:42 That becomes the pick.

00:17:46 It's like she's playing the piano, but with her fingers.

00:17:51 It was a really, really beautiful experience.

00:17:54 I saw that in the video. She's playing with the video.

00:18:00 It was so cute. When we took that picture, we took a video right after,

00:18:04 and the guy goes, "Magandang babae!"

00:18:09 If you check my Instagram, you could hear him say that.

00:18:12 I'll put it on Nicole's IG because that's where we took the picture.

00:18:15 Next, this one, I was also happy to see.

00:18:18 This was the day that we arrived in Kaga City.

00:18:22 We actually had to take a plane to get there,

00:18:27 which I thought was really nice because I was like,

00:18:29 "Oh, look at me taking a domestic plane in Japan."

00:18:33 We were even taking rampa videos in the airport.

00:18:39 I had my onigiri with me before we got on the plane.

00:18:43 As soon as we arrived, we had a courtesy call to the mayor of Kaga's office.

00:18:51 It was the cutest thing you'll ever see because when you arrive,

00:18:54 they had these cute little mascots.

00:18:56 They had two birds. One was in all black, and the other one was in green.

00:19:03 The whole office was filled with people waving different flags.

00:19:09 How cute is that?

00:19:11 They make you feel so special when you arrive.

00:19:15 I found her because she was waving the Philippine flags.

00:19:19 I was like, "Come, come, let's take a video. Let's take a video."

00:19:22 She was so excited.

00:19:23 She was saying things in Nihongo that I didn't understand,

00:19:26 but I just felt like, "Yes, yes, it's me. It's me."

00:19:32 I like that she was so excited.

00:19:34 It was a really great day.

00:19:36 I think that was one of my favorite experiences throughout the trip,

00:19:40 to be honest with you.

00:19:41 When we got to the room and the mayor welcomed us,

00:19:45 we were all in this rectangular arrangement.

00:19:51 Estonia got to talk.

00:19:54 I think also Miss... who was the other one?

00:19:58 It was Estonia and another country who were expressing their thanks

00:20:02 because Kaga actually has friendship towards other countries.

00:20:07 I don't know how the agreement works, but it really strengthens the bond.

00:20:11 The beautiful thing about Kaga City is that it's the complete opposite of Japan,

00:20:18 Tokyo in a sense.

00:20:20 In Tokyo, everything is so small.

00:20:22 The rooms, even the hotels are very compact.

00:20:26 But in Kaga City, they're big.

00:20:30 The fields feel endless.

00:20:33 We even got to visit schools there.

00:20:36 We played with the kids and the high school students.

00:20:40 I felt like that was real cultural immersion

00:20:43 because it's different when you just visit a tourist spot

00:20:45 versus actually meeting the people who live there.

00:20:48 It seemed like a beautiful place to start a family.

00:20:50 I saw that video with the kids.

00:20:53 It's a school.

00:20:55 They look like maracas.

00:20:57 It's like they're circling the whole city of Japan.

00:21:00 - What city is that? - Kaga.

00:21:03 - Oh, I see. She's listening. - Kaga.

00:21:06 Take notes. My turn to do a trivia later.

00:21:09 What did I say?

00:21:12 Next picture, guys.

00:21:15 - There. - It's beautiful.

00:21:18 The kimono.

00:21:20 - That was also from... - It's from 2019.

00:21:23 Thank you. This was also in Kaga.

00:21:26 I think it was in day 2 that we arrived.

00:21:30 Is this an onsen?

00:21:35 We took the pictures by an onsen, actually.

00:21:39 This was taken in one of the restaurants we ate in.

00:21:45 It had a buffet, and it was one of the oldest...

00:21:49 I wish I could remember the name that we were in.

00:21:52 The cool thing about this kimono was

00:21:56 as soon as we arrived at the shop,

00:21:58 we were asked to pick any kimono.

00:22:03 They would do your hair, they would pick this and that.

00:22:08 The moment I saw this, I was like, "Hey, I like this color. I'm going to wear it."

00:22:13 I find out days later that former Miss International Philippines 2018

00:22:19 Atisa Manalo happened to have the same exact kimono

00:22:24 during her time in Kaga City.

00:22:27 That gave me... I was a little surprised to see that

00:22:31 because I couldn't have picked any color.

00:22:34 She could have picked any... Out of 70 countries,

00:22:38 I mean 30, because we were cut in half, I think.

00:22:41 Half of us went to Fukushima, and the other half went to Kaga.

00:22:45 What were the chances of us wearing the same exact one?

00:22:48 There was a side-by-side photo on Instagram, and I was like, "Wow, that's a crazy coincidence over there."

00:22:54 But it was refreshing to see the routine.

00:22:57 I felt so beautiful, and seeing the other girls in their kimonos as well,

00:23:02 it was like tapping into your feminine side.

00:23:06 We even had a photo with an umbrella.

00:23:08 We were walking around the streets.

00:23:12 I was like, "This is what it's like."

00:23:15 Okay, next.

00:23:18 - Babush. - Mmm.

00:23:20 This was actually the same day. That's why you can see my hairstyle is the same.

00:23:25 Oh my God, I'd be so happy to teach you guys this.

00:23:28 Right after we did the kimono, we changed, and we went to this old theater

00:23:35 where we saw a geisha performance.

00:23:39 The girl with the mask on, she was actually the one singing.

00:23:44 The girl in blue wore--she played the instruments.

00:23:49 I think it was also the shamisen.

00:23:53 After the performance, they invited us to learn about the geisha parlor game.

00:24:02 We got to go on the stage and really play on the spot.

00:24:05 I can actually teach you if you want to learn how.

00:24:07 - Okay, go. - Is there time?

00:24:09 Yes, you can do.

00:24:10 Okay, so if you have a little cup or a small item--

00:24:15 Do you have any small items?

00:24:16 We're looking for a small item.

00:24:18 Bring me a small item.

00:24:21 Maybe like a ball.

00:24:23 That one.

00:24:25 - Can we have-- - That one, yes. Perfect.

00:24:30 So you go like this.

00:24:33 And do this.

00:24:38 Okay?

00:24:40 You can't join, I'm sorry.

00:24:42 This is a two-player game.

00:24:47 Okay, so when I tap, you tap your palm.

00:24:51 When I tap my palm, you tap the cup.

00:24:53 Okay, so tap your palm.

00:24:57 Usually, there's a song that plays.

00:24:59 If I tap it, you have to do this.

00:25:02 You have to turn your hand into a fist.

00:25:05 Okay, and then?

00:25:06 And you knock.

00:25:07 But if you land like this, then you lose.

00:25:10 Oh, so it's easy.

00:25:12 - You want to try it out? - Okay.

00:25:14 Okay, ready? Go.

00:25:16 That's correct.

00:25:22 Oh my gosh, that's correct. You're good at this.

00:25:24 But you're supposed to keep going.

00:25:26 - I tapped, right? - If somebody messes up--

00:25:29 You're nervous.

00:25:30 If somebody messes up, then they take--

00:25:34 They drink, basically.

00:25:37 Because that's what they would play it together with.

00:25:39 Oh, so you can play it with your partner.

00:25:42 - If you have a kid. - Who's going to pay for that?

00:25:46 Just kidding.

00:25:48 And it was super intense because they sang,

00:25:52 and they have these drums in the back.

00:25:55 So you're like, "Must be on beat with the song."

00:25:58 Oh, okay, challenge.

00:26:00 We learned a new allergy.

00:26:03 We'll talk about this later.

00:26:05 Next picture.

00:26:08 We only have a few left.

00:26:10 This was our preliminary competition.

00:26:15 Let's take a long time of physiology for the credit.

00:26:20 I was really glad to see him there.

00:26:22 You know, when you see other--

00:26:24 Familiar people.

00:26:25 It really calms your nerves.

00:26:27 So that day, we had a private interview.

00:26:32 Short walk.

00:26:34 And I remember just feeling so nervous that day

00:26:38 because everyone's like, "What's the question? What's the question?"

00:26:41 And we were on the other side.

00:26:43 So we were trying to listen.

00:26:46 What are they being asked? What are they being asked?

00:26:50 But it was nice because I think I was closer to the end

00:26:54 because I'm Filipino.

00:26:55 It's the alphabetical order.

00:26:57 So the girls who finish, you just go up to them and you're like,

00:27:00 "What did they ask you? How was it?"

00:27:03 And they tell you, "Oh, it was all right.

00:27:07 It wasn't as bad as I thought."

00:27:09 So hearing them share their experience, you're like,

00:27:12 "Oh, okay. It can't be that bad then."

00:27:16 And it really wasn't.

00:27:18 The moment you get on the stage, you really just take it as it is.

00:27:26 And the judges were smiling, I remember.

00:27:29 And so I thought, "Okay. I'm okay."

00:27:32 You can do it. You fought.

00:27:34 And next, guys.

00:27:36 This one. I love it.

00:27:40 My pride and joy.

00:27:42 Shout out to Axel Keh.

00:27:44 She's the designer for my national costume this year.

00:27:48 We really wanted to kind of steer away from the traditional Filipiniana.

00:27:57 This is actually a Filipiniana as well.

00:28:00 It's just not too obvious given the way that it's structured.

00:28:05 It's actually uni-inspired or sea urchin.

00:28:09 Or what we call it, tuyong.

00:28:12 I personally like eating it raw when they cut it open for you.

00:28:16 So fresh.

00:28:18 And it's actually a shared--

00:28:20 Why did you go for tuyong or sea urchin for this one?

00:28:24 Because it's a shared delicacy that both the Filipinos and the Japanese.

00:28:30 And you know how it's really in our culture that we bond over food.

00:28:35 Either with family, with friends.

00:28:38 We always say, "Let's go here. Let's go there. Let's eat."

00:28:43 And when my national costume designer brought up this concept,

00:28:53 I was like, "Are you sure? Is it going to be black?"

00:28:56 I wasn't ready to--

00:28:58 Because when he said sea urchin, I was like, "I don't know.

00:29:00 What if it's going to be taken badly?

00:29:02 I don't think black is the right color."

00:29:06 But it wasn't black and it came out like nothing I've ever seen before.

00:29:11 And it even reminds me of a festival queen.

00:29:16 Yes.

00:29:17 Which is wonderful because I was a former festival queen for Sunolok.

00:29:20 I said, "No, yes."

00:29:22 And it just made me want to dance when I was in it.

00:29:24 And I got to do my little twirl, my dance moves on the stage.

00:29:28 It's fun. It's playful. It's bold.

00:29:31 And if you look closer at the picture, you can see even the makeup was a playful take.

00:29:37 Was it heavy?

00:29:40 The headpiece, surprisingly.

00:29:42 The body itself, not so much.

00:29:45 But the headpiece kind of felt like it was really pushing your skull.

00:29:49 You can't keep it on for too long.

00:29:52 Really, really fun.

00:29:53 When she said sea urchin, it was because of the fresh--

00:29:56 Oh, and fun fact, those little shards, they're all sewn together by hand.

00:30:04 Yeah. So according to Ms. Axe, she was like, "It took me like a month,

00:30:08 a month for me to make this for you.

00:30:10 You better be here for a special-- Ms. Axe, do the best."

00:30:16 She did a great job, even for other candidates.

00:30:19 She did a great job the whole time.

00:30:21 So, Ms. Axel Kick, there.

00:30:26 Next.

00:30:27 Next. This is another one. Boogs.

00:30:30 Boogs.

00:30:31 Who are you?

00:30:33 Nicole Borromeo, actually.

00:30:35 Gosh, that was such a fun shoot. You have no idea.

00:30:39 Stephen, the photographer, he actually got someone from back home

00:30:45 to create the setup.

00:30:47 So this isn't some AI-generated background.

00:30:50 This is the real deal.

00:30:52 I wish I had a picture to show you, but there is the backdrop,

00:30:56 and they really placed water on the bottom.

00:31:00 So I'm actually stepping on water.

00:31:06 And the team would divide the tasks.

00:31:09 One would hold the light.

00:31:11 The other one would play with the water so that it would flicker.

00:31:18 Credits, my gosh, to my friend Amato.

00:31:22 She's a world-renowned designer from Dubai-based,

00:31:26 and also grew up in Cebu.

00:31:31 So when we asked, I was overjoyed when she was like,

00:31:35 "I'll do it for you. I will make you your finals gown."

00:31:40 And I sent my pegs, but I didn't get to see it

00:31:43 until maybe a few weeks before I left for the pageant,

00:31:48 which is a little nerve-wracking because you would think that

00:31:50 with all this time, you would see it.

00:31:53 Yeah, but this is an artist, right?

00:31:56 You don't find out until you see it in person.

00:32:01 And I was like, "Please, Lord, please.

00:32:04 I hope that I feel it."

00:32:07 Because when you join a pageant, you feel the gown.

00:32:11 If it's really the gown, the winning gown for you.

00:32:15 And the moment I placed it on, I said it felt like a glove.

00:32:19 It fits so well.

00:32:22 It's like a dream come true.

00:32:25 Yeah, it unintentionally felt very sea-inspired,

00:32:29 like magandara, mermaid.

00:32:33 And I like how the cut was so unique.

00:32:36 My former gowns would be more conservative,

00:32:41 and this one showed...

00:32:43 It was a really conservative gown, actually,

00:32:46 because you don't see any leg.

00:32:49 But it's form-fitting.

00:32:51 It's very form-fitting, almost like a mermaid,

00:32:53 which I completely love.

00:32:56 And it showed the shoulders and the front here,

00:32:59 and it's got these plastic shards on the arms and the bottom

00:33:03 that whenever I walk, you could really see the motion.

00:33:07 You can't keep your eyes off it.

00:33:09 When the light hits it, it's...

00:33:11 I really like the conservative cover,

00:33:15 but it's still sexy because it's form-fitting.

00:33:18 Oh, and also, those extensions were crazy long.

00:33:21 If you look at the hair, it actually went all the way down

00:33:24 to my lower back.

00:33:27 It was nice because my natural hair is actually super short.

00:33:30 It's very different styling for the pageant itself, right?

00:33:33 Very sweet, very simple.

00:33:36 Were you... Did you get a pony?

00:33:39 Uh-uh. It was a side part, and it was just a low pony.

00:33:43 Of course, we went through that.

00:33:46 Next.

00:33:47 Next. Last three.

00:33:49 Man, this is already after the pageant,

00:33:54 so you can see how...

00:33:58 You can shop there.

00:34:00 Yeah, it's like we were actually on our way to a tea ceremony

00:34:03 held in Ginza, and it was outdoors.

00:34:07 They kind of just made a setup.

00:34:09 It wasn't inside a tea house.

00:34:11 It was just by the street next to Dior.

00:34:15 Super social there.

00:34:18 And we had to bring the tea over to the guests.

00:34:26 What's really funny, though, about this picture was

00:34:30 we were exhausted leg-wise

00:34:33 because we were in our heels the whole time.

00:34:36 And Stephan, the person who was taking care of us,

00:34:40 he kept saying, "Oh, yeah, it's really near.

00:34:42 It's just a few stops."

00:34:43 And then during our first stop, we were like,

00:34:45 "Oh, wow, look at us. We're taking the train.

00:34:48 Public transportation. It's so fun."

00:34:51 Because we were always on the bus during the pageant,

00:34:54 and this time we were taking the train.

00:34:56 And then there was a lot of walking.

00:34:58 And walking.

00:34:59 And then Stephan would be way ahead of us.

00:35:02 We're like, "How far are we going here?"

00:35:05 My legs are hurting.

00:35:07 We're friends like that.

00:35:09 We just smile through the pain.

00:35:11 We're getting there.

00:35:13 You're getting far.

00:35:14 He walks a lot.

00:35:16 In Japan, you're going to walk a lot.

00:35:19 The number of times I've woken up

00:35:22 with my legs aching from all the walking,

00:35:25 it's insane there.

00:35:26 I wish I could get a massage.

00:35:28 No tricycle.

00:35:29 It's not a tricycle.

00:35:31 [laughter]

00:35:32 What a waste.

00:35:33 [laughter]

00:35:35 So, in Japan, you're ready to go.

00:35:38 No tricycle.

00:35:40 Okay, next.

00:35:42 Next, sir.

00:35:43 Oh, he's already turning.

00:35:45 Next, sir.

00:35:46 Gosh.

00:35:50 That's my Lola Bobby, Lola Janet, and my mom, Joanne.

00:35:55 It feels weird saying her name.

00:35:57 I'm like, "Joanne."

00:35:59 So, they've been to Japan.

00:36:00 Because of all their mom.

00:36:01 Yeah, so, my family has never actually seen

00:36:06 one of my pageants live.

00:36:08 It's only been my mom and I think my tita from way back.

00:36:14 But after I won Bini Bini,

00:36:16 because they were actually supposed to watch

00:36:18 for the nationals, however, things came up.

00:36:22 And given that the cases were still up and down,

00:36:27 they didn't end up flying from Cebu.

00:36:30 But after I got crowned during Bini Bini,

00:36:33 my grandpa was like, "Hey, we're all going to go to Japan.

00:36:38 We're all going to watch the court."

00:36:40 Your grandpa wants a vacation.

00:36:42 And I was like, "Lola!"

00:36:44 [laughter]

00:36:46 "We'll support you, but we'll go to a boxing match."

00:36:49 But it was also like, "To support Nicole,

00:36:53 and go around Tokyo, baby.

00:36:55 We're going on tour."

00:36:57 So, they arrived the day before the pageant,

00:37:02 and they watched on the night.

00:37:04 It really meant a lot because my grandma,

00:37:06 she's not really into traveling so much.

00:37:10 So, for her to not only fly there,

00:37:13 but to watch physically in the competition,

00:37:18 I remember people asking me,

00:37:21 "Do you feel nervous that they're in the audience?"

00:37:25 And I said, "No, I felt the opposite.

00:37:27 I felt proud because this is the first time

00:37:31 that they're going to see me doing something that I love,

00:37:34 that I'm so passionate about,

00:37:37 that I get to represent the Philippines."

00:37:40 And they're watching that in person.

00:37:42 So, it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:44 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:46 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:48 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:50 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:52 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:54 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:56 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:37:58 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:38:00 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:38:02 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:38:04 And it's like, "Oh, my God, they're watching me."

00:38:06 So, the 25th until the 29th?

00:38:10 Until the 29th, yeah.

00:38:12 So, 26 was coronation.

00:38:14 And I saw them on the 28th.

00:38:16 So, they were able to go around.

00:38:18 My two days, my two days.

00:38:20 My grandma really said that.

00:38:22 Even if my grandma doesn't want to travel,

00:38:24 she'll travel.

00:38:26 She found an excuse.

00:38:28 And last.

00:38:30 Oh, you got this photo for Tito Jerry.

00:38:32 Oh, you got this photo for Tito Jerry.

00:38:34 Tito Jerry!

00:38:36 Oh, okay.

00:38:38 Tito Jerry is actually the head of Aces and Queens.

00:38:40 My camp, yeah.

00:38:42 And he was so, so supportive.

00:38:44 And he was so, so supportive.

00:38:46 Like, I wouldn't have been able to go through

00:38:48 this whole competition mentally if it weren't for him.

00:38:50 He would always call me.

00:38:52 He would always call me.

00:38:54 And he would tell me, like,

00:38:56 "Write down your affirmations."

00:38:58 Because when you're in a competition,

00:39:00 sometimes you get in your head and you're like,

00:39:02 "Can I really do this?"

00:39:04 The doubt creeps in.

00:39:06 But he was really my rock.

00:39:08 And he would

00:39:10 send such

00:39:12 positive energy.

00:39:14 So he would keep asking me,

00:39:16 "How are you doing? How are you doing?"

00:39:18 Even after the coordination, he's like, "How are you doing?

00:39:20 What did you do today?" And I said, "I went to Disneyland!"

00:39:22 I went to Disneyland!

00:39:24 Oh, yeah? So you went to Disneyland.

00:39:26 So we spent my boyfriend's birthday

00:39:28 in Disneyland.

00:39:30 And I sent him a photo.

00:39:32 And originally, this picture was

00:39:34 filled with people

00:39:36 in the background because it's Halloween.

00:39:38 I feel like they did for a balance.

00:39:40 It's Halloween and it's packed with people.

00:39:42 And I sent him the photo. And he sent the photo back.

00:39:44 And he's like, "I took the people out for you."

00:39:46 And I was like, "Oh,

00:39:48 look at you!"

00:39:50 For context, Tito Jerry's a lot older.

00:39:52 Like, he's probably in his

00:39:54 60s. He's a senior.

00:39:56 And the fact that he knew how to

00:39:58 take people out, I was like, "What app do you use?"

00:40:00 I don't even know how to do that.

00:40:02 And

00:40:04 if anybody recognizes, that's

00:40:06 Monsters, Inc. That's Sulli's

00:40:08 hat. And it was just

00:40:10 one of my favorites.

00:40:12 My favorite experiences in Japan.

00:40:14 Because I'm a sucker for Disney.

00:40:16 And I love rides. I love

00:40:18 childhood

00:40:20 memories. And that was

00:40:22 just filled with it.

00:40:24 That's our last picture.

00:40:26 I have a question. Spin.

00:40:28 Oh, really?

00:40:30 Go ahead and spin, babe.

00:40:32 I was just joking.

00:40:34 I was just joking with her. She's so pretty.

00:40:36 Okay, go.

00:40:38 I'll just go.

00:40:40 I don't know about that.

00:40:42 I think it was 30 days in Japan, right?

00:40:44 Close to 30 days.

00:40:46 What do you think Filipinos

00:40:48 can learn from the Japanese

00:40:50 and vice versa in 30 days

00:40:52 in Japan?

00:40:54 I think Filipinos

00:40:56 could learn more about

00:40:58 the Japanese's

00:41:00 respect for

00:41:02 nature.

00:41:04 The Philippines is filled with

00:41:06 natural resources. That's what we're known for.

00:41:08 Immediately you think,

00:41:10 pristine beaches,

00:41:12 mountains, canons,

00:41:14 springs.

00:41:16 And yet, we

00:41:18 pollute our country

00:41:20 still.

00:41:22 It's a shame

00:41:24 because that's

00:41:26 the beauty of our country.

00:41:28 We're an archipelago.

00:41:30 We're so close to the water and yet the waters

00:41:32 are getting polluted too.

00:41:34 And

00:41:36 that appreciation for it,

00:41:38 that respect, it's

00:41:40 understanding that, hey, this is our home.

00:41:42 It needs to be taken care of.

00:41:44 It's only going to happen

00:41:46 if it starts with yourself.

00:41:48 It's so easy to blame other people.

00:41:50 You're doing something about it.

00:41:52 You can't control others.

00:41:54 It really starts from within.

00:41:56 Vice versa,

00:41:58 I believe the Japanese, although I think

00:42:00 they practice it already,

00:42:02 is

00:42:04 more warm.

00:42:06 I'm a little biased.

00:42:08 I'm a

00:42:10 hugger.

00:42:12 I think it's like that here

00:42:14 in the Philippines. We're not afraid to

00:42:16 go up to people

00:42:18 and invite

00:42:20 others over.

00:42:22 The family ties are really strong.

00:42:24 I know family is also

00:42:26 important in Japan.

00:42:28 From what I've seen,

00:42:30 people are busy working

00:42:32 all the time.

00:42:34 I think that they could learn to

00:42:36 spend more

00:42:38 time with family as well.

00:42:40 Not be afraid

00:42:42 to be a little loud about it.

00:42:44 Don't be afraid to scream

00:42:46 their hearts out the way that my family

00:42:48 did during the coronation night.

00:42:50 It was incredible.

00:42:52 But, Nicola,

00:42:54 they taught you

00:42:56 Filipino phrase

00:42:58 or word.

00:43:00 They asked, "What does

00:43:02 this mean?"

00:43:04 From the Japanese people?

00:43:06 Actually,

00:43:08 this year was different because

00:43:10 it was the year that they

00:43:12 opened the University

00:43:14 of Beauty and Wellness.

00:43:16 We actually ended up

00:43:18 staying at that university in Yokohama.

00:43:20 We got to meet the

00:43:22 students who went

00:43:24 there. It was

00:43:26 really fun because they were very

00:43:28 eager to know about us.

00:43:30 Whenever they'd see me, they'd go like, "Kawaii!"

00:43:32 It's like, "Huh!"

00:43:34 I found out

00:43:36 from my family that

00:43:38 since they brought extra Philippine flags

00:43:40 on the coronation night,

00:43:42 the students recognized it

00:43:44 because they're like, "Oh, Nicola!

00:43:46 We love Philippines!"

00:43:48 They actually

00:43:50 took the flags, too, and they were waving it

00:43:52 in the

00:43:54 coronation as well.

00:43:56 If they learned any Filipino

00:43:58 phrases, I can't really remember.

00:44:00 Maybe they've...

00:44:02 What I've noticed with the other girls, though,

00:44:04 was they would

00:44:06 always say, "Mabuhay!"

00:44:08 "Mabuhay!"

00:44:10 It felt like nearly everyone knew

00:44:12 that one specific line.

00:44:14 "Mabuhay!"

00:44:16 It's like, "Wow!"

00:44:18 This is the only one they all know.

00:44:20 "Mabuhay!"

00:44:22 "Mabuhay!" and "Ingat po!"

00:44:24 Oh, cute!

00:44:26 Nicola, you learned Japanese

00:44:28 phrases, right? But at the start of

00:44:30 your Q&A, you said, "Konbanwa" something.

00:44:32 "Konbanwa" means "Good evening."

00:44:34 Right?

00:44:36 "Domo arigato gozaimashita"

00:44:38 means "Thank you very much."

00:44:40 Oh, you're right!

00:44:42 When you see

00:44:44 something that makes you happy,

00:44:46 I would always say, "Shiawase!"

00:44:48 It just means "I'm happy."

00:44:50 "Totemo"

00:44:52 means "Very."

00:44:54 So when I say, "Totemo shiawase,"

00:44:56 they smile back, too.

00:44:58 They're like, "Oh, she's happy."

00:45:00 What do you say in Japanese?

00:45:02 "Nani?"

00:45:04 "Nande?"

00:45:06 "Ganbaru, ganbaru!"

00:45:08 I just remembered

00:45:10 one more thing.

00:45:12 We're already PG-18 in Japanese.

00:45:14 What's the point?

00:45:16 We're not going to say it.

00:45:18 Okay, we have a question.

00:45:20 I thought the person was in the script.

00:45:22 But we've talked about

00:45:24 your experiences earlier. What's the most

00:45:26 memorable for you?

00:45:28 Unforgettable.

00:45:30 It's hard. There's so many good memories.

00:45:32 Can we categorize?

00:45:34 The ones we didn't mention earlier.

00:45:36 The ones we didn't

00:45:38 touch on earlier in the pre-quiz.

00:45:40 It wasn't the photos.

00:45:42 Let me think.

00:45:44 Favorite memories.

00:45:46 Me?

00:45:52 I'm sorry about that. I was like, "What are you doing?"

00:45:54 Over there, he was making hand gestures.

00:45:56 We're just playing.

00:45:58 There are so many memories.

00:46:00 I have so many memories.

00:46:02 Let me think.

00:46:04 Top of my mind.

00:46:06 With the girls.

00:46:08 I always think...

00:46:10 Who was your closest girl?

00:46:12 Who was your roommate?

00:46:14 Ms. Nepal.

00:46:16 In pregnancy.

00:46:18 She's the kindest girl.

00:46:20 I'm so blessed to have her as a roommate.

00:46:22 She made the whole experience very special.

00:46:24 Actually, now that you mentioned it,

00:46:26 one of my favorite experiences.

00:46:28 I'm not going to say the most favorite.

00:46:30 The moment you say most, you're like,

00:46:32 "What about that one?"

00:46:34 I hate it when you say it.

00:46:36 One that I haven't touched on was

00:46:38 she...

00:46:40 She and I were talking.

00:46:42 I remember.

00:46:44 I went to Asakusa.

00:46:46 It's a really famous

00:46:48 tourist spot in Japan.

00:46:50 They have the Sensō-ji Temple.

00:46:52 This strip of stores

00:46:54 where you can buy food,

00:46:56 you can buy souvenirs

00:46:58 and whatnot.

00:47:00 I go into this

00:47:02 store and Miss Estonia...

00:47:04 It's like a store for stones.

00:47:06 The little power stones.

00:47:08 Crystals and stuff.

00:47:10 I was just looking at it.

00:47:12 It's shiny.

00:47:14 Miss Estonia goes next to me and she's like,

00:47:16 "You know this one?

00:47:18 This one helped me get money."

00:47:20 I was like, "Wait, what?"

00:47:22 "Let me buy one right now."

00:47:24 I don't want to buy it.

00:47:26 She was like, "I credit this."

00:47:28 I was like, "You're telling me

00:47:30 that you're going to credit

00:47:32 the stone

00:47:34 for all the money you just earned."

00:47:36 She was so convincing.

00:47:38 I was like, "Okay, I'm buying the rock."

00:47:40 I bought two.

00:47:42 I bought one that's for...

00:47:44 Actually, I bought three.

00:47:46 I bought three.

00:47:48 One was for wealth.

00:47:50 Another was for learning.

00:47:52 This

00:47:54 small little pebble called the tiger's eye

00:47:56 was for

00:47:58 multiple things, including learning.

00:48:00 The list was very

00:48:02 long. I don't even remember it. I just got it because

00:48:04 I thought it looked really pretty. I was like, "Oh, cool."

00:48:06 I like the one that's for wealth.

00:48:08 I like that.

00:48:10 Is that green?

00:48:12 I got back to the hotel, to the university.

00:48:14 I think it was already...

00:48:18 We were already getting ready for bed.

00:48:20 I was showing it to Prasety,

00:48:22 my roommate. I was like, "Hey, you want to see my rocks?"

00:48:24 Just saying that out loud,

00:48:30 she looks at it and she's like,

00:48:34 "You bought rocks?"

00:48:36 "You went all the way there

00:48:40 and you bought..."

00:48:42 When I

00:48:44 showed it to her,

00:48:46 I showed it to her by the wealth rock,

00:48:48 and learning rock, and then the pebble.

00:48:50 When she saw the pebble, she was like,

00:48:52 "What are you thinking?

00:48:56 What are you on about?"

00:48:58 I started laughing really hard. She starts laughing really hard.

00:49:00 It was just one of those

00:49:04 nights where

00:49:06 you don't even think about

00:49:08 what we're going to have the next day.

00:49:10 You don't think about

00:49:12 what happened. You're not worried

00:49:14 about anything because we were just laughing

00:49:16 in the moment. I think that's something

00:49:18 I really appreciated.

00:49:20 I met someone who's

00:49:22 from a whole new different

00:49:24 country, different culture,

00:49:26 and yet, here we were

00:49:28 laughing at something as

00:49:30 boring as a rock.

00:49:32 I hope there's someone who plays like that.

00:49:36 Just kidding.

00:49:40 I also like rock now.

00:49:42 I'll tell you once I know what it is.

00:49:44 Which store?

00:49:46 We'll go to Japan, right?

00:49:48 So we can buy it.

00:49:50 No, we can't. Visa is not allowed.

00:49:52 It's just for her.

00:49:54 Who will buy it?

00:49:56 Next.

00:49:58 I'm curious about the Q&A.

00:50:00 It's the first time

00:50:02 that we're doing Q&A.

00:50:04 That was very nerve-wracking.

00:50:08 The top seven had to

00:50:10 get ready for the Q&A. I thought it was pretty

00:50:14 interesting because I've done

00:50:16 Q&A before and that was

00:50:18 the first time I've ever seen it come out of

00:50:20 a bowl of

00:50:22 little balls.

00:50:24 A bowl of little ping pong.

00:50:26 When they hand it over to you, it's just like

00:50:30 ping pong.

00:50:32 It zooms in

00:50:34 on the ball.

00:50:36 It's like, "Question number

00:50:38 five."

00:50:42 I guess I really helped with the nerves

00:50:44 because then it's like,

00:50:46 I wasn't focused on messing up.

00:50:48 I was focused on, "Hey, that's

00:50:50 interesting."

00:50:52 But you're the one who had the hardest

00:50:54 time with the Q&A.

00:50:56 Thank you.

00:50:58 When I heard your question,

00:51:00 I was like, "Huh? SDG?"

00:51:02 I was like, "Huh? SDG?"

00:51:04 I was like, "Huh? SDG?"

00:51:06 I was like, "Huh? SDG?"

00:51:10 That makes me feel so glad, actually,

00:51:12 because apparently people started to

00:51:14 research

00:51:16 a little more on what SDGs

00:51:18 were after they heard the Q&A.

00:51:20 What's great about

00:51:22 Miss International is they give the girls

00:51:24 a platform, and if you check their

00:51:26 YouTube channel, you can find

00:51:28 all of our SDG-related videos

00:51:30 and the causes that we

00:51:32 stand for. I love

00:51:34 that we get to publicize this

00:51:36 so people are inspired

00:51:38 by what we do. I took a lot of

00:51:40 inspiration from Miss Nepal,

00:51:42 frankly speaking, because

00:51:44 I think she got the highest views for

00:51:46 SDGs, if I'm not mistaken.

00:51:48 What she does is incredible. She's

00:51:50 helping support, I think, 40

00:51:52 kids for her

00:51:54 organization. In my case, I just

00:51:56 wanted to highlight what

00:51:58 Habitat for

00:52:00 Humanity is already doing, because

00:52:02 I've seen

00:52:04 how badly typhoons can affect

00:52:06 our communities, and

00:52:08 we need to have homes that are

00:52:10 resilient. However,

00:52:12 you can't build a home

00:52:14 on your own, right? I don't have the money

00:52:16 to build a house by myself.

00:52:18 How much more for those who

00:52:20 are less fortunate

00:52:22 than we are? We need

00:52:24 collective efforts for that.

00:52:26 Habitat for

00:52:28 Humanity has been around for decades,

00:52:30 and they even allow

00:52:32 people who aren't

00:52:34 with a construction background

00:52:36 to join in. They have

00:52:38 this initiative called Baha'i Nihuan,

00:52:40 where you can actually donate

00:52:42 annually or as

00:52:44 often as you want, and you

00:52:46 can even have the experience of volunteering

00:52:48 on-site.

00:52:50 I highly

00:52:52 recommend the on-site volunteer

00:52:54 work, because then you really see

00:52:56 where all this

00:52:58 pool of money is going to.

00:53:00 It's going to homes, it's going

00:53:02 to the children

00:53:04 who are living in these homes, it's

00:53:06 going to a

00:53:08 life. Who are

00:53:10 you without the home you live in?

00:53:12 How do you move on?

00:53:14 How do you survive?

00:53:16 How do you feel strong when the home

00:53:18 you live in isn't safe?

00:53:20 That's

00:53:22 something that I really wanted to highlight,

00:53:24 and it's really great to see the

00:53:26 number of people coming out saying

00:53:28 that they want to join in, too.

00:53:30 I think this is just the beginning

00:53:32 so more youth can get

00:53:34 involved. Support Habitat for

00:53:36 Humanity. You know what, guys?

00:53:38 Go to their Facebook page

00:53:40 for more details.

00:53:42 Their Facebook page?

00:53:44 But at that time,

00:53:46 when you heard the question,

00:53:48 were you nervous?

00:53:50 I think

00:53:52 it's always important to ask. When you answered,

00:53:54 it was so spot on.

00:53:56 I heard your answer directly.

00:53:58 Thank you. I give a lot of credit

00:54:00 to my Q&A coaches,

00:54:02 Pippo Gonzalez and

00:54:04 Callie Huff. I give a lot

00:54:06 of credit to Callie especially because

00:54:08 she made time to call

00:54:10 me in between.

00:54:12 She saw how exhausted I was

00:54:14 after a long day,

00:54:16 and my brain was like,

00:54:18 I could physically feel my brain

00:54:20 not working.

00:54:22 I couldn't even think.

00:54:24 She was just so patient with me, and I

00:54:26 appreciated that.

00:54:28 When it comes to Q&A, you're always going to

00:54:30 have to think of more than just an answer.

00:54:32 It has to be something

00:54:34 with substance, something that

00:54:36 resonates with the people.

00:54:38 What helped me a lot was knowing

00:54:42 that it's not about

00:54:44 the smartest

00:54:46 answer. It's about your

00:54:48 answer and what you think

00:54:50 and what you stand for.

00:54:52 People are listening to you, and

00:54:54 I'm glad they listened to mine.

00:54:56 I'm glad that people thought that I did

00:54:58 really well that night.

00:55:00 You did. You made us proud.

00:55:02 Thank you, Nicole.

00:55:04 In fairness, Callie

00:55:06 missed passing CT during

00:55:08 Miss Universe.

00:55:10 I hope Miss Kitchen

00:55:12 wins again.

00:55:14 It's good that you know that, Mike.

00:55:16 Okay.

00:55:18 How are you feeling

00:55:20 now that your Miss International

00:55:22 has finally come to a close?

00:55:24 You're almost there.

00:55:26 Oh my gosh.

00:55:28 It was a...

00:55:30 I'm not going to lie. It was a mix.

00:55:32 Really, really

00:55:34 heavy mix of feelings.

00:55:36 I was even telling

00:55:38 Sir Leroy and Francis earlier that

00:55:40 it's on and off,

00:55:42 because you're

00:55:44 happy and sad.

00:55:46 I was

00:55:48 crowned last year

00:55:50 in 2022,

00:55:52 and months leading up

00:55:54 to the pageant, it has always been about

00:55:56 the pageant.

00:55:58 It was about the people that I got to meet,

00:56:00 the people that

00:56:02 supported me,

00:56:04 and it really felt like

00:56:06 I was the testament

00:56:08 to how

00:56:10 when people come together, amazing

00:56:12 things happen. I am the

00:56:14 product of people who

00:56:16 invested in me,

00:56:18 and I

00:56:20 carry that with so much pride,

00:56:22 because I know for a fact that

00:56:24 I would not have

00:56:26 been on that stage. I would not

00:56:28 have made it to top five if

00:56:30 I took full credit for it,

00:56:32 because I'm not a

00:56:34 one-man show at all.

00:56:36 A little sad, because

00:56:38 again, it has come to a close

00:56:40 when you've invested

00:56:42 in something so much,

00:56:44 and only for it to come to an end,

00:56:46 although it is

00:56:48 a winning end, right? It's a happy ending.

00:56:50 It's a happy ending.

00:56:52 It's still a chapter that will come to

00:56:54 a close, and I'm just so grateful

00:56:56 for the memories, and I'm glad

00:56:58 that I got to take everything in

00:57:00 day by day. I actually brought a little notebook

00:57:02 while I was in Japan, so that every day I would

00:57:04 write down what happened. So at least

00:57:06 future Nicole would be like, "Oh yeah, that happened

00:57:08 on this day."

00:57:10 The experience for

00:57:12 Women's International is different. It's different now,

00:57:14 because before,

00:57:16 the International pageant

00:57:18 was the first thing before the coronation

00:57:20 night of the passing.

00:57:22 Now, the passing is the first thing.

00:57:24 It's such a strange

00:57:26 feeling, because you watch

00:57:28 the girls in your batch

00:57:30 compete before you.

00:57:32 You watch the previous

00:57:34 winner compete in your pageant.

00:57:36 You watch the crown

00:57:38 that you have nationally

00:57:40 be turned over to the next girl.

00:57:42 It's not easy,

00:57:44 right? You're only human,

00:57:46 and a part of you longs for

00:57:48 "When will my time come?"

00:57:50 And

00:57:52 I'm glad that I got to watch Hannah Arnold

00:57:54 during her

00:57:56 pageant in December,

00:57:58 because

00:58:00 it made me

00:58:02 feel like, "Hey, this weight is going to

00:58:04 be worth it, too."

00:58:06 Hello, Miss Hannah Arnold!

00:58:08 She's a friend to Santa Monica.

00:58:10 Did you get to interview her before?

00:58:12 Yes! She's a walking angel.

00:58:14 She's a walking angel.

00:58:16 You're beautiful, too.

00:58:18 You'll win this, right? You'll win the crown.

00:58:20 Any plans after Miss International?

00:58:22 Ooh, plans after?

00:58:24 Nothing is set in stone.

00:58:26 I'm going to be taking

00:58:28 opportunities as they come.

00:58:30 Maybe even try show business,

00:58:32 who knows?

00:58:34 For sure, I want to strengthen the impact

00:58:36 that Habitat has, because

00:58:38 before I left, they actually

00:58:40 mentioned that they wanted to work

00:58:42 with the youth,

00:58:44 get them more involved, because they're not

00:58:46 as...

00:58:48 Surprisingly, that's one of the

00:58:50 aspects that they're having a hard time with.

00:58:52 I said, "Hey, maybe I could help out."

00:58:54 I have yet to visit them,

00:58:56 because I just arrived last November 5,

00:58:58 and I'm doing the media rounds.

00:59:00 Hopefully, after that,

00:59:02 and until the end of time, we're going to be

00:59:04 working on that.

00:59:06 We're going to see a bigger, brighter world.

00:59:08 Maybe even go back to school,

00:59:10 since now that I have

00:59:12 the time to.

00:59:14 Let's get that degree!

00:59:16 Miss Nicole is studying.

00:59:18 What college are you in?

00:59:20 I'm not in any.

00:59:22 I'm studying interior design.

00:59:24 Interior design.

00:59:26 You're already in

00:59:28 your advocacy,

00:59:30 Habitat 45.

00:59:32 I'm studying this.

00:59:34 I think even during the pandemic,

00:59:36 people saw that value, right?

00:59:38 That's why people started getting plants,

00:59:40 redecorating.

00:59:42 You realize the moment you...

00:59:44 The time you spend so much in one

00:59:46 spot,

00:59:48 that affects you. Your environment

00:59:50 shapes who you are.

00:59:52 You have to ensure that the environment you are

00:59:54 is safe, that it's secure,

00:59:56 that it makes you feel productive,

00:59:58 makes you feel at peace.

01:00:00 I'm glad that interior design does that.

01:00:02 What do you want to be in showbiz?

01:00:04 Do you sing? Or art?

01:00:06 Hosting?

01:00:08 If not, I'll be in the police.

01:00:10 Let's see.

01:00:12 I believe in the growth mindset.

01:00:14 There's a lot I need to learn.

01:00:20 And I think I'm capable

01:00:22 of doing that.

01:00:24 You're learning.

01:00:26 It's like we're a host.

01:00:28 You should teach me!

01:00:30 It's so easy!

01:00:32 Last question.

01:00:36 Message to aspiring

01:00:38 beauty pageants.

01:00:40 To everyone who wants to join a beauty pageant,

01:00:46 I highly

01:00:48 encourage that you do.

01:00:50 My piece of advice

01:00:52 before you ever join

01:00:54 is to

01:00:56 know yourself

01:00:58 first. Take the time

01:01:00 to reflect on

01:01:02 each experience.

01:01:04 Because at the end of the day, there's

01:01:06 only one crown.

01:01:08 You have to think about what you'll be walking away

01:01:10 with. What do you want to

01:01:12 get out of this?

01:01:14 It's more than the crown.

01:01:16 It's about your growth.

01:01:18 It's about the friendships

01:01:20 you've made, the experiences

01:01:22 you get to keep with you for the rest of

01:01:24 your life. And of course, the

01:01:26 privilege of you not only

01:01:28 representing yourself, it's

01:01:30 thinking above that. It's

01:01:32 understanding that you're also representing

01:01:34 your province

01:01:36 and maybe even someday your country.

01:01:38 That's going to create

01:01:42 a ripple effect. You're going to be

01:01:44 making waves and you're going to

01:01:46 be in my shoes and

01:01:48 have people ask me this very

01:01:50 question of, "What would

01:01:52 you tell other people?"

01:01:54 Who would've thought I'd be here?

01:01:56 And it just

01:01:58 started with that, the reflections

01:02:00 and putting yourself out

01:02:02 there. Have you talked to Angelica?

01:02:04 She's the one who's been with us.

01:02:06 Actually,

01:02:08 we were together during the Christmas tree lighting

01:02:10 in Araneta, the giant Christmas

01:02:12 tree. My gosh,

01:02:14 it's really giant.

01:02:16 When I saw it in person, I was like,

01:02:18 "Whoa, how did they set this thing up?"

01:02:20 She's so lucky.

01:02:22 While I was in Japan,

01:02:24 actually, I told you I had a notebook.

01:02:26 I also wrote some notes down.

01:02:28 Let's call it a cheat sheet.

01:02:30 I made

01:02:32 little notes on things that I

01:02:34 wish I could've done better or

01:02:36 things that I completely

01:02:38 missed out on so that I could

01:02:40 talk about it with Angelica.

01:02:42 She has my number. I have hers.

01:02:44 I told her that she can message

01:02:46 me whenever.

01:02:48 My DMs are always welcome

01:02:50 to her.

01:02:52 It's really nice because

01:02:54 you can feel her

01:02:56 really good energy.

01:02:58 Yes.

01:03:00 Angel has a fight.

01:03:02 Have you interviewed her yet?

01:03:04 I did, but before

01:03:06 "Pinibini."

01:03:08 Before the coronation?

01:03:10 Yes, the Miss Universe one.

01:03:12 She has a very interesting and inspiring

01:03:14 story there.

01:03:16 I'm getting inspired by her.

01:03:18 Angelica's story is so beautiful.

01:03:20 We support her.

01:03:22 And the next fight.

01:03:24 And of course, Miss Nicole,

01:03:26 if you want to promote your socials.

01:03:28 Oh yes, please.

01:03:30 I'm on Instagram @nicole.voromeo.

01:03:32 Facebook as Nicole Voromeo.

01:03:34 And I'm trying to revive my

01:03:36 TikTok with the same handle

01:03:38 @nicole.voromeo.

01:03:40 We can see Miss Nicole

01:03:42 dancing.

01:03:44 We can go dance later.

01:03:46 We can go dance later.

01:03:48 For PEP, don't forget to

01:03:50 hit the like and subscribe button

01:03:52 to PEP.TV.

01:03:54 We also have social media accounts

01:03:56 @peplerts

01:03:58 on TikTok and Instagram.

01:04:00 @pep.ph on Facebook.

01:04:02 And we'll be chasing Miss Nicole.

01:04:04 By the way, I wanted to take this time

01:04:06 to invite all of you to please

01:04:08 support our fellow

01:04:10 "Pinibini," Miss Globe,

01:04:12 Anna Valencia-Lacrini,

01:04:14 as she'll be competing this November

01:04:16 17 for the title.

01:04:18 She's representing our country with so much pride.

01:04:20 And I think she has a

01:04:22 big, big chance for this

01:04:24 crown. She's already made it to, I think,

01:04:26 top one or top two?

01:04:28 Best in swimsuit.

01:04:30 Top three.

01:04:32 I think it was top two.

01:04:34 First runner up.

01:04:36 She is a force

01:04:38 to be reckoned with. So please do

01:04:40 support her for Miss Globe. As well as, of course,

01:04:42 our Miss Universe, Michelle D.

01:04:44 She's fighting.

01:04:46 She's got this. November

01:04:48 18.

01:04:50 We're marking our calendars.

01:04:52 Please do support our queens

01:04:54 representing the Philippines.

01:04:56 The pageant season is coming to life.

01:04:58 Good luck to those who will cover.

01:05:00 Just kidding.

01:05:02 And that's all, Pepsters.

01:05:04 Thank you so much

01:05:06 to all of those who have

01:05:08 talked to us and listened to us for today.

01:05:10 Follow us then @mrnicotwatson

01:05:12 on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

01:05:14 Once again, I'm

01:05:16 being bylone.

01:05:18 There, Nicotwatson.

01:05:20 Sorry, babay.

01:05:22 Support

01:05:24 who is this?

01:05:26 Our...

01:05:28 You should support Michelle D.

01:05:30 and Miss Globe.

01:05:32 Anna and Michelle.

01:05:34 It's her birthday.

01:05:36 I watched her birthday video.

01:05:38 She's beautiful.

01:05:40 She's special.

01:05:42 Thank you, Pepsters.

01:05:44 Bye-bye.

01:05:46 What's our ending?

01:05:48 [music]

01:05:50 [music]

01:05:52 [music]

01:05:54 [music]

01:05:56 [music]

01:05:58 [music]

01:06:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Transcript

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