(Updated 6:08 p.m.) Will Miss Planet International 2022 push through?
Two candidates of Miss Planet International, where Philippines’ bet Herlene Nicole Budol is competing, have stated that the pageant has been canceled.
Representatives of Jamaica and the Czech Republic posted via their Instagram Stories about this supposed update on Thursday, November 11.
Miss Planet Jamaica Tonille Watkis expressed how honored she was to represent her home country in the international competition.
“Thank you all for your support up until this moment. Unfortunately, the competition has been canceled,” Watkis said.
“But, it was such an honor to have the chance to represent my beautiful Jamaica again,” she added.
Miss Planet Czech Republic Tamila Sparrow, meanwhile, has a more scathing accusation against the MPI organizers.
Sparrow alleged that the MPI delegates were “robbed” for having to pay for their own accommodations and food.
“I have to apologize, but unfortunately we were robbed. We haven’t had even 10% of the activity, nothing was paid, nor our accommodation nor our food. We’re stuck in Uganda,” she said.
Sparrow further alleged that “even those who were not involved” in the pageant spent money to keep them “fed and safe.”
The Czech Republic beauty queen then expressed her apology to those who have invested in them both financially and mentally.
“I couldn’t be silent anymore. I apologize for everybody who put a lot of effort in us monetary or mentally wise. But this has to be seen by the public,” she said.
Sparrow claimed that 35 contestants who are still in Uganda were “scammed.”
In another post via Instagram Stories, Sparrow said that they are leaving the country soon.
“Just give us some time to figure everything out. Please. All we know, is we are leaving the country as soon as possible,” she said.
Several known pageant pages in the Philippines later shared screenshots of these posts.
Facebook page Eventologie, which is also dedicated to pageant events and news, also sent love to Budol following these posts.
“Sending love to Miss Planet Philippines Herlene Hipon Budol as news gets out that Miss Planet International 2022 pageant in Uganda is abruptly canceled due to threat of Ebola Virus,” the post reads.
Wilbert Tolentino, Budol’s manager, also spoke up about the alleged cancelation.
According to Tolentino, the MPI organizers caught themselves in the middle of an Ebola virus outbreak in Uganda, Africa, where the pageant was supposed to be held.
As of writing, MPI has no official announcement yet on the matter.
Budol, also a social media and TV personality, expressed excitement and gratitude when she told her followers that she was the chosen delegate for the Philippines for MPI 2022 last August.
READ: How Herlene Nicole Budol reacted to her Miss Planet International 2022 bid
The Binibining Pilipinas’ first runner-up flew to Uganda with an interpreter for the competition on November 4.
Based on her updates on her Facebook page, Budol and the rest of the candidates participated in rehearsals and put on their sashes for the pageant.
