MISS Universe Philippines Sylvia Celeste Rabimbi Cortesi was feted with a grand sendoff party yesterday at Estancia Mall in Pasig coinciding with her 24th birthday, excited and eager to bid for the country’s fifth Miss Universe title after Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015) and Catriona Gray (2018).
The 5’9 beauty was born in Pasay to Maria Luisa Rabimbi from Camarines Sur and an Italian father who was originally from Venezuela. Her parents met at an Italian restaurant in Manila which her father owned and where her mother worked. Cortesi grew up in a multicultural household, exposed to both her Filipino and Italian ancestries.
They moved to Parma, Italy when she was six months old. When her father died, she and her older sister Monica were raised by their mom as a single parent.
Celeste became interested in pursuing pageantry as a career and exploring her Filipino roots after being informed by her mother of Pia Wurtzbach’s win at Miss Universe 2015.
Buoyed by Pia’s victory, Celeste moved to the Philippines when she was 18 in hopes of representing the Philippines even though she only spoke Italian.
“It was difficult to adapt to the culture, the language. I was very confused,” recalled Celeste during an interview with Christine Jacob-Sandejas on CNN Philippines’ “New Day.”
She joined and won as Miss Philippines Earth and ended up as a top 8 finalist at the 18th Miss Earth pageant that same year.
Celeste then set her goal towards Miss Universe and spent four years preparing for her next pageant journey, even as she continued pursuing Real Estate Management at Lyceum Alabang.
Now fluent in English with a very charming Italian accent, Celeste is at the tail end of her preparations. “Basically, I’m ready, just polishing up my sessions in pasarela (with Miss Universe Philippines creative director Jonas Gaffud), q&a, workouts, gown and other outfits,” she said.
Celeste also is bringing her advocacy of helping Save The Children Philippines, hoping to amplify the voices, the stories of children on the international stage. “That’s one purpose as a beauty queen that goes beyond me,” she said.
As she embarks on her trip to the 71st Miss Universe in New Orleans, Louisiana with the finals set for January 14, 2023, Celeste is also bent on seriously challenging the idea that a beauty queen has to be perfect.
“I want to go to the competition knowing who I am; I want to be real, authentic and relatable,” she said.
“You should not be stopped or limited by what other people think of you. Just go for it. It’s your dream, your goal…you can do it all!”
