Netizens were in awe when a photo of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach hugging Filipina candidate Maxine Medina went viral after France's Iris Mittenaere was crowned as the new Miss Universe.
Wurtzbach told ABS-CBN News that she intentionally went out of her way to look for Medina on stage to comfort her.
"Sabi ko sa kanya, 'Mars, ang maganda dito, walang kakalat na video sa YouTube na nagkamali ka sa Q and A', kasi yun yung pinaka-inaalala niya," Wurtzbach said.
"Sabi ko, 'Walang mambabash sa'yo kasi hindi ka nagkamali,'" Wurtzbach added.
Wurtzbach said Medina "was really under a lot of pressure" as Filipinos were hoping for back-to-back Miss Universe titles.
"She wasn't crying, she was actually okay... She was really worried about making everybody proud."
Pageant trainer Jonas Gaffud, who mentored both Medina and Wurtzbach, said the supposed home court advantage did not play well for Medina.
"Ang sabi ni Maxine sa akin after, kung hindi lang sa Pilipinas (nangyari ang Miss Universe), mas kaya niya sigurong lumaban. Nahirapan talaga siya sa pressure," Gaffud said.
"Alam mo naman na iba ang pressure ng Pinoy diba? Parang kailangan perfect ka palagi so nahirapan talaga si Maxine," Gaffud added.