"My best advice is to move and live with purpose. Be certain with who you are and why you are here. The crown will always be a symbol of triumph. But win or lose, it’s the lives that you touched that really make a difference."

"This may be the end of my reign but this is the start of a beautiful chapter."

"We have shown the true power of our bayanihan (a Filipino value of working together) spirit. Thank you for seeing the potential in me and rallying behind me when it matters the most. This is our collective success."

"My two siblings on the autism spectrum are my lifelong mission. Being able to give them what they need and be a part of the solution is something that I don't take lightly. I know the kind of life I want them to live, I know what is lacking in the Philippines and the world. It means the world to me to be part of such a positive change for my siblings and everybody on the autism spectrum."

"At Autism Society Philippines, we see every individual on the spectrum as having talent and want them to live fulfilled and empowered lives. That's why I advocate for acceptance, inclusivity, and awareness."

"To always walk life full of gratitude, love, and kindness."

"It’s all about making choices that make you feel good about yourself. Body positivity is about loving yourself and doing what makes you happy."

"Women now have more ways to educate themselves, share their stories, and connect with others than ever before,” she explained. “It’s about harnessing these tools to support each other, grow our careers, and break barriers."

"Come as you are."

"I’m so much more than how I identify myself."

"When somebody takes away your story, then you should take control of that narrative. Turn it around and make it an empowering story."

"At a very young age, she taught me that you know the best thing in life is giving back. When you’re in the position to give back to your community, then you should do that."

"One in every 100 children is born with autism. The community should join forces and work together towards the sustainable development goal of creating opportunities for all."

"It’s just such an amazing platform to do the good that you want to do."

"A lot of the individuals on the spectrum are not given that opportunity because the common perception is that they can’t do it. It’s just about opening those doors and creating those opportunities because, again, this isn’t one of the more popular advocacies to bring on."

"I joined the pageant because this is much greater than myself. This is about the cause I’m fighting, advocating for: autism awareness. That’s my main goal"

"My identity is not what I want to be remembered for."

"Own who you really are and have that self-worth and confidence to control your life. If you try to take that away, I’ll take it back. It boils down to respecting people and spreading love and spreading light."

"Because life’s too short to keep giving myself excuses not to do things I know will fulfill my purpose in life, and service to others and my country has always been one of them."

"I actually work best under pressure. I actually thrive under pressure"

"That’s why I do what I do. My life should also serve as a source of inspiration. You walk the talk. **https://kami.com.ph/entertainment/celebrities/174663-michelle-dee-emosyonal-sa-paglabas-ng-pbb-i-didnt-leave/"

"To me, this gown symbolizes that in this life, it’s not about always being what everyone expects you to be. It’s about having restraint and choosing to stay true to yourself even if it’s so much easier to just follow what everyone wants you to be."

"That in being yourself, you will find people who will believe and see the potential within you. In choosing to be yourself, you will find enough strength and power to achieve anything you set your mind to"

"I would read it and not be affected because I have learned to only listen to people that matter."

"What I fail to do is master the art of getting my thought across in 30 seconds."

"It's always been a life-long advocacy for me to advocate for autism awareness, autism acceptance, and inclusivity"

"Individuals on the autism spectrum possess a unique skill set making them valuable assets in various roles, from technology and data analysis to creative fields as well"

"We stand united with individuals on the autism spectrum and their families, and together we can build a more inclusive, empowering, and sustainable world for all."

"Let's be the voice for those who don't have one"

"Let’s be the reason why millions of lives become empowered, and let’s be a true force for good together,"

"With or without the crown, all of you made me feel like a winner Read more: **https://kami.com.ph/entertainment/celebrities/159580-michelle-dee-balik-pinas-na-crown-feel-a-winner/"

"Thank you so much for raising our flag with me"

"The Voice For Change Award was undoubtedly one of the most important and THE MOST personal award to encompass my journey."

"Be more empowered and do not let other people control your life, your narrative."

"This is a lifelong mission for all of us and it’s been a dream knowing that waves whether big or small has been made."

"This has been an incredible year for the books and one heck of a ride all together. I really couldn’t have done this without the unwavering support and hard work of so many,"

"To everyone who stood by me and our vision—thank you. This journey has been ours, a true representation of our resilience and a celebration who we’re proud to be. All love."

"My journey of a thousand steps began with all of you… When the team and I found out that it wasn’t possible to give this gown its own segment… it was a no-brainer for me to wear it (for the last time) during my final walk. Wearing it again felt like I was also giving homage to every story, every drop of sweat, and every ounce of effort that all of you did to create such a transformational force to the universe and I have to reiterate that my success that came after is all of ours to share. ❤️‍ Thank you for allowing me to represent us with so much pride in our hearts and know that whenever you need me, i’ll be right here waiting for your call."

"My whole theme this year was really embracing who I am and what I have to offer the world. A big part of that was how I identify myself. I was able to connect on a deeper level with a lot of my supporters."

"I know the most important parts of my story."

"I honestly believe that to define what is iconic means creating something timeless. Creating a legacy that is yours alone, that no one can replicate you"

"It starts with honesty. I had to be honest about how I identify myself. I wasn’t trying to please anyone. Nobody told me to come out. Nobody told me how to identify myself."

"I know that there is that pressure to lead by example. But again, like everything that I do, I’ve had such great role models in my life. My grandmother was dedicated all of her life to helping other people. There's my mom who taught me the value of giving back. My father wouldn’t even think twice to help somebody. Those are values that have been instilled into me."

"In my heart, I know that everything I do, I can be accountable for. Everything that I do and everything that I show the world is something that I can be proud of. And because I have those very strong values, I know that whatever I do, I can be a good example. I can set and lead by example."

"Don’t be scared of how you identify yourself. Just know that if you believe you’re a good person, you will be a good person."

"I really want to be remembered as somebody who reached her success."

"To get me to where I am now, it wasn’t easy to get here. It wasn’t easy to subject myself to so much scrutiny. But because I embraced what I had to offer the universe, I went from being the most bashed to one of the most loved and accepted queens."