From being Mrs. Universe-Philippines 2023, Arlene Cris Damot competed in the Mrs. Universe 2023 pageant where she placed 2^nd runner up. 

Looking back on her pageant journey, Arlene recalled how her experience as a young girl inspired her to join the said competition.

“When I was young kasi, I was a victim of bullying because of my weight, and my skin tone,” she began.

She added that it was also the reason why she opened an aesthetic center of her own. “That’s why actually I opened this aesthetic clinic para makatulong na rin akong ma-boost ‘yung confidence of other people, and for my fellow women as well.” 

When asked about how joining the pageant changed her life, Arlene shared that it helped boost her own confidence. In fact, she also mentioned about franchising Mrs. Universe-Paranaque. She said, “It changed my life. Actually, a lot of things happened; most especially now, I franchised the Mrs. Universe-Paranaque. It also [boosted] my confidence.” 

In a separate interview, Arlene elaborated on her plans for Mrs. Universe-Paranaque. "We will be doing, holding another pageant for Paranaque alone for the regional one. It’s going to be on, most probably May or June because the nationals will be on July po for the Mrs. Universe-Philippines,” she said. 

Meanwhile, considering the things she faced as part of her journey, Arlene said that she has made it her advocacy to empower women through beauty. She relayed, “My advocacy is empowering women through aesthetics so ‘yun nga, currently, I am a Mrs. Universe [Philippines] 2023, as well as an aesthetic [center] owner.”

According to her, a lot of surprises are in store for her business Royal Aesthetics, which includes an ‘influencers night’ and a launch of a celebrity endorser who is said to be a beauty queen as well.