A post shared by Mariel de Leon (@mariaangelicadl) on Mar 6, 2017 at 5:37am PST

MANILA – Binibining Pilipinas 2017 contestant and celebrity daughter Mariel De Leon opened up about the times she was told she was “not good enough” in an empowering message for her fellow women.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, which is International Women’s Day, De Leon admitted that she always experiences being “judged and put down” because of her appearance and the mistakes she made in the past.

“I experience it every day,” said De Leon, daughter of celebrities Christopher De Leon and Sandy Andolong. “‘You’re too fat.’ ‘You’re not pretty enough.’ ‘Do this, do that.’ To those women that experience the same thing or even worse, just know that my heart goes out to you.”

She continued: “Perfect is boring. Be different and be proud of it. Learning to love yourself and choosing to be happy is a constant struggle but never give up and always put your own mental health and happiness first. Real women (and men) support and love each other, not put them down. Remember, the devil and his demons whisper negativity into weak minds only. Stay strong.”

De Leon went on to remind women to “keep on walking with your head held high and your crown on.”

Considered a “frontrunner” by some pageant fans, De Leon is hoping to win a Binibining Pilipinas title in her second attempt.

She first joined the national pageant in 2013 and made it to the Top 15.