Jonas Gaffud MUPH camp rumored to be the cause of downfall

After Miss Philippines Celeste Cortesi did not place among the top 16 contestants at the 71st Miss Universe Competition held on January 14 in New Orleans, Louisiana, the creative and events director of Miss Universe Philippines, Jonas Gaffud, asked pageant fans to move on and forget about the competition (Jan. 15 in Manila).

“Walang essay. Get over it, lang. Happy life lang. I adore you Celeste Cortesi. ❤️❤️❤️” Jonas posted on Facebook his thoughts.

On January 11, Gaffud expressed his satisfaction with how Celeste performed in the preliminary competitions, saying that it made him proud.

“So gorgeous. People have different ideas on what she ought to have done and how she should have conducted herself throughout the preliminary competition for Miss Universe. Simply seeing her perform on stage made me feel really pleased. How she moved, the subtle and effortless beauty she exudes. She does not have to behave like someone else. She is as genuine as it is possible for her to be,” Jonas said on Instagram.

Fans of the pageant were encouraged by Voltaire Tayag, the Director for Communications of the Miss Universe Philippines Organization, to be delighted for the success of the top 16 contestants in the competition.

“Let us all be delighted for the success of the top 16. To compete for the title of Miss Universe, every woman has put forth a lot of effort. They ought to all receive it.”

“Of course it hurts but let’s keep the genuine spirit of the pageant alive. Miss Universe has been really good to us for so many years. Let us be grateful for those years, and let us also be enthusiastic about what lies ahead,” Tayag remarked.

Old Fashioned? Here’s what Netizens have to say

Netizens and Miss Universe fans are ravaging the internet with their opinions on how Jonas Gaffud trains the Philippine representatives for Miss Universe; according to them, the “knowing when to peak” strategy is not effective anymore and very old fashioned. The netizens brought back the fact that maybe Miss Universe winner Catriona Gray had backed out of Jonas Gaffud camp is because of that very reason.

Netizens also felt that Celeste Cortesi’ personality and aura wasn’t highlighted as much as she was boxed into this “Maria Clara” demeanor throughout the entire pageant.

It was also revealed on TikTok that Celeste Cortesi was supposed to wear different gowns for the competition, which are relatively better according to the Netizens as it had more flare and suited her more, compared to the gowns she wore during the competition.

In addition to the rumors, Celeste Cortesi was reportedly seen crying with only her boyfriend and family after the competition, in which the Miss Universe Philippines Organization, or the Jonas Gaffud camp, was nowhere to be seen.