Miss Universe PH condemns cyberbullying, mulls legal action vs ‘toxic’ commenters

MANILA, Philippines – The Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) organization issued a warning that they will take legal action if “cyberbullying towards the organization, delegates, and anyone associated with the pageant” continues to persist. 

In  a statement released on Tuesday, March 26, MUPH said that they strongly condemn any and all forms of cyberbullying, including “bullying, threatening, and derogatory remarks made in the MUPH social media platforms.” 

The organization continued that social media has become a “damaging, dangerous, and toxic environment for pageant delegates” in recent years. Although MUPH didn’t specify any particular incident, netizens commented that the practice of pageant fans pitting candidates against each other and writing hateful things about the delegates they aren’t supporting might have led to this development. 

MUPH underscored that cyberbullying can affect a delegates’ mental and physical wellness, with some harmful effects still being prevalent even after their respective pageant stints. The organization stressed that while these incidents are being normalized as “mere realities of social media,” they emphasized that this should be stopped. 

“Please join the Miss Universe Philippines organization in this social media campaign to stop normalizing toxicity and cyberbullying on social media,” they said. “Let us be proactive in uplifting and empowering women.” 

As a way to create a safe space for their delegates and other beauty inspiring aspirants, MUPH noted that they will actively and regularly monitor their social media platforms to “ensure that no derogatory, rude, mean, offensive comments persist.” 

They added that they will file a report for cyberbullying and online threats that are covered under the Anti-Cybercrime Law. “Users, bloggers, accounts, persons, or organizations that consistently engage in this toxic and negative behavior shall be immediately blocked and reported,” MUPH said. 

For its 2024 edition, more than 50 candidates are competing to succeed Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, who finished in the Top 10 of the latest international edition. 

The 2024 competition is looking to be an interesting edition as it marks several firsts in the pageant’s history — delegates for this year were chosen through the Accredited Partners Program, the roster also includes candidates representing overseas Filipino communities, and there are no age restrictions for the candidates. 

As of writing, the organization has yet to announce additional details for its national pageant. – Rappler.com