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A post shared by Michelle Marquez Dee (@michelledee) on Dec 10, 2019 at 2:51pm PST

Michelle Dee continues to build momentum in Miss World 2019 as she emerged as one of the winners in the final round of the head-to-head challenge.

She and nine other candidates now have a guaranteed spot in the Top 40.

The rest of the winners came from Moldova, Nepal, Venezuela, Nigeria, Mexico, Guyana, India, Trinidad and Tobago, and Paraguay.

“It’s been such a proud moment for us today, mga kababayan, as we’ve officially secured a spot in the Top 40 through the head-to-head challenge!” Dee said in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

The Filipina beauty queen added that her “Beauty with a Purpose” project on autism awareness made it to the Top 20.

In the Miss World head-to-head challenge, candidates are asked to talk about their respective advocacies.

After beating representatives from Rwanda, Aruba, Dominican Republic, and Ghana in the first round, Dee went on to dominate Miss World Turkey in the finals.

Dee is aiming for the Philippines’ second Miss World crown after Megan Young in 2013. The coronation night will be held in London on December 14.

Last year’s representative in Miss World, Katarina Rodriguez, did not advance to the Top 30.