Pinay Instagram model apologizes after ‘racist’ tweets from 2013 surface

Australia-based Instagram model Lily May Mac came under fire this week when tweets she posted in 2013 surfaced.

Mac openly declared her preference for "white boys" in one of the posts.

On Thursday, the model sent out an apology through her Twitter.

"In light of what is resurfacing, I want to say sorry for what I said when I was obviously close-minded and away from public eye," Mac wrote.

"It was wrong then and wrong now but I now know better," she added.

It was wrong then & wrong now but I now know better

— Lily (@lilymaymac) May 4, 2017

The controversial tweets have been deleted, but screencaps are still circulating.

"If another short old Asian dude tries buying me a drink, I’m going to puke on them," read a tweet.

Mac also expressed her desire to be half-white in other tweets.

The viral story was picked up by US tabloid New York Post, which reported that Mac's statements sparked a reaction from Filipino-American fashion photographer Eliza Romero.

"Her dating preferences were clearly rooted in self-hatred and internalized racism," Romero was quoted saying.

A few fans came to her defense, explaining that Mac was younger then and didn't know better.

If you haven't changed in five years, have you really grown as a person? She would've been what? 18 at the time? Dumb article

— Russel (@TWlTTERUSSEL) May 4, 2017

Mac, real name Lily Macapinlac, is a pure Filipina according to her mother.

She has over three million followers on Instagram and has her own makeup collection under her name. —NB, GMA News