Joy Barcoma Addresses Miss Earth 2025 Airtime Criticism
Joy Barcoma responded to backlash over her brief speech during the Miss Earth 2025 coronation night. The Filipina beauty queen expressed frustration on Facebook toward those who criticized her for prioritizing her "airtime" rather than focusing on the nation's pressing issues.
"This is why I am mad whenever people call me out for speaking up. Talaga bang mas concerned pa kayo sa [translate:'airtime'] kaysa sa kalagayan ng bansa?" Joy wrote.
"It's unfathomable how you use my speech against me when this is the reality our country continues to face."
Joy reshared photos showing the aftermath of Typhoon Tino and declared her willingness to lose the crown repeatedly if it meant standing up for her people.
"If what I did cost me the crown, I would gladly lose it over and over again. Mas pipiliin ko pang mawala ang korona kesa mawala ang puso ko para sa tao," she said.
"And I will use every second of airtime on earth if it means speaking for my country. Until our voices are heard, I will never stop speaking up whenever, wherever I need to."
During the coronation, Joy called for prayers for Typhoon Tino victims in Cebu before answering her Q&A question. Some netizens disapproved, saying she took time away from the show, despite her good intentions.
Joy Barcoma placed in the Top 8, while Natalie Puskinova from the Czech Republic won the Miss Earth 2025 crown.
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