Miss World Philippines 2021 candidate opens up on ‘bullying’: ‘I was subjected to false character assassination’

Miss World Philippines 2021 candidate Joy Barcoma has broken her silence amid the issues surrounding her and her fellow beauty queens in the competition.

Sharing a portrait of herself looking sad with puffy and teary eyes on Wednesday, Joy said she had been in a dark place recently.

“These past days, I was subjected to a false character assassination—my persona was tested, derogated, and defamed,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Being in a position where you have gotten no chance to defend yourself took a heavy toll on me. My mental health declined, my chances were put at risk, and my love for pageantry almost died.”

Describing her stint in the world of pageantry, she said “it was never an easy path to walk through” as it made her feel lonely despite all the people surrounding her.

“Being in a room full of people only to talk to none, hearing echoes of laughters outside the walls of your room while you’re all alone, and having to force yourself to sleep in hopes that tomorrow you will no longer be frowned upon.”

According to Joy, these experiences helped her realize that wisdom, power, and courage come from pain and heartbreaks that shed light on what truly matters.

“I have sat and watched everything fade away in front of me, I have listened to a long deafening silence of exile, and I have felt how the world turned its back on me,” she said.

“But today, I decided to not just sit and watch. I decided to stand up,” Joy added. “Today, I decided to not listen to silence. I decided to speak up. Today, I decided to woman up.”

As a “defender of others,” Joy said one “must be at the forefront of your battles.”

“To pick up the sword is not the start of the war but the screams of our verities will always be the start of a revolution,” she wrote.

“What kingdom do I rule if I can’t fight for my crown of truth, fairness, and justice? Our principles and how we stand up for them is what truly makes a queen, and today I will reclaim my throne.”

In the comments, Binibining Pilipinas International 2021 Hannah Arnold sent her a red heart emoji.

On her Instagram stories on Thursday, meanwhile, Joy said she did “not tolerate any form of hate and bullying” as well as using her words against others.

“I will not allow people to twist and use my story to hurt and damage other people,” she wrote. “It is by telling the truth that I encourage everyone to speak up.”

“Hence, to speak highly of people around us and not to talk them down. Let this be a reminder that the cycle of hate should always end with us,” she added.

To end her post, Joy said she was grateful for the “overwhelming love and support” that she had been getting from the public and her fellow Miss World Philippines 2021 candidates.

According to a Manila Bulletin report, she revealed in a recent online press conference that a fellow candidate pointed fingers at her for spreading rumors that some girls were allegedly doing drugs.

Joy clarified that she did no such thing and demanded for a public apology to “clear my name.”

The Miss World Philippines 2021 coronation night was moved to Aug. 8 following the reimposition of the IATF’s heightened GCQ restrictions amid the COVID-19 threat. – Franchesca Viernes/RC, GMA News