A photo posted by Maria Mika Maxine Medina (@maxine_medina) on Nov 22, 2015 at 5:58am PST

MANILA – Marife Medina admitted on Wednesday that she initially did not allow her daughter, Maxine Medina, to join the Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

In a phone interview on radio DZMM, Mrs. Medina said she wanted Maxine to finish her studies first before joining beauty competitions.

“Hindi ko po pinayagan noong una,” she said. “Kasi sinabi ko, ang rule ko po [ay] makatapos muna siya ng pag-aaral.”

Mrs. Medina went on to admit that she is a strict parent. “Medyo, ['yung tipong] no boyfriend [while in school], ganoon,” she said.

By the time Maxine finished taking up Interior Design, Mrs. Medina gave the go signal to compete in Binibining Pilipinas.

And the rest is history – Maxine went on to win the coveted Miss Universe Philippines crown on her first try, and is set to represent the country in the 65th edition of the international pageant in Manila on January 30.

While Mrs. Medina is both excited and nervous for her daughter, she and her family make sure to keep Maxine at ease.

• READ: Gloria Diaz tells Maxine Medina: Get an interpreter

“We’re always at her side. We make it a point na ‘pag weekend, we pick her up and magbo-bonding kami with her. We go to mass together and we have lunch,” she said.

“We don’t talk about pageants kasi kawawa naman po siya eh, talagang bugbog na,” she added. “Kaya chill lang po. Gusto ko po kasing ma-feel niya na parang regular pa rin ang buhay niya. Na chill lang siya with the family.”

When asked to give a message to her daughter, Mrs. Medina said: “All I can tell her is to always pray and be humble. [Put your] feet on the ground and everything will be in place, I told her. ‘Yun naman ang parating sinasabi ko sa kanya, and be yourself.”

“Win or lose, in my heart, ikaw pa rin. You’ll always be my Miss Universe.”

And to Maxine’s bashers, Mrs. Medina had this to say: “I just lift it up. Pini-pray ko na lang po.”