The Philippines burst into celebration yesterday after Filipino-Australian Catriona Elisa Gray was crowned 2018 Miss Universe at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Gray, a pre-tournament favorite, breezed through the swimsuit and evening gown competitions in the finale, and capped her successful run with a well-thought of response during the last question-and-answer portion.
Asked by American television host Steve Harvey about the most important lesson she learned in her life, and how she would you apply it as Miss Universe, Gray said:
“I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila, and the life there is very poor and very sad. I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty in it, to look for the beauty in the faces of the children, and to be grateful.
“I would bring this aspect as a Miss Universe to see situations with a silver lining, and to assess where I could give something, where I could provide something as a spokesperson.
“If I could teach also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their face. Thank you.”
The victory did not come as a surprise to many as Gray captivated the world with her elegance, confidence and passion.
In the finale, Gray wore a fiery red evening gown created by Filipino designer Mak Tumang who drew inspiration from Mayon Volcano in Albay, Bicol.
“Catriona can be considered as the modern-day Daragang Magayon. She (Gray) embodies the Filipina’s beauty, intelligence and burning passion,” Tumang wrote in his Facebook account.
The red gown stood out in the sea of silvers.
Later, Gray revealed that when she was 13 years old, her Filipino mother told her that she dreamed about her winning the Miss Universe crown wearing a red gown.
The journey did not come easy for the 24-year-old beauty who reached the Top 5 of the Miss World contest in Washington, United States in 2016.
She was prevailed upon to join the Binibining Pilipinas pageant this year and easily won the Miss Universe Philippines title.
Gray became the fourth Filipino to win the crown after Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), and Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (2015).
Tamaryn Green of South Africa was named first runner-up while Sthefany Gutierrez of Venezuela was second runner-up. The candidates from Puerto Rico and Vietnam complete the Top 5.
It is unlikely that Gray will return home soon. She will fly to New York, United States where she will live in a luxurious apartment for a year during her reign.
Bb. Pilipinas officials said Gray may return to the country next month.
In the first question and answer portion, Gray was asked: “Canada recently joined Uruguay as the second nation in the world to make marijuana legal. What is your opinion on the legalization of marijuana?”
Gray replied: “I’m for it being used in a medical use but not so for recreational use, because I think if people were to argue, what about alcohol and cigarettes? Well everything is good but in moderation.”
In her opening statement after being named in the Top 20, Gray said:
“Working in some of the poorest areas of my country, I found that it was a lack of child support, not poverty, that killed their dreams. A child once told me, ‘Cat, that’s just not my life, and those dreams are meant for me’. But I stand here today because someone believed in me and we owe it to our children to believe in them.”
Three-time Grammy awardee Ne-Yo opened the show with his hit song “Night Like This” backed up by Thai cultural dancers.
For the first time, the selection committee of the Miss Universe contest was made up women, including two Filipinos — fashion designer Monique Lhullier and businesswoman-architect Richelle Singson-Michael.
Gray is known to spontaneously burst into song, which is most likely due to her love of the arts and her Master Certificate in Music Theory.
“I am a creative person. My mom told me that even when I was in the womb I was dancing along with the music. I’m doing painting, I’m doing drama, and now I’m leading to music which is one of my greatest passions now;
“It’s just a feeling in a way that everything else wasn’t. We’re bombarded with so much information these days and the ways of wording things in different languages. But there’s something about music that can just make you feel in a certain way or can strike a chord. Even if you don’t understand what the lyric is, there’s something everyone can relate to. I love that you can connect on that level,” she said.
Gray said that her parents taught her never to give up on her dreams when she was younger.
“My parents, especially my dad, he would always say that a longer journey starts with a single step. When you have dream, or an ambition and it’s so far away, that’s so high up, you can feel overwhelmed. But when you look at it as one step at a time, one day your gonna look up from your feet and you’ll be a your destination,” she also said.
Said to be a great travel buddy, Gray is always game for heart racing adventures like zipline. This model is openly passionate about her love for Filipino dishes including adobo, balut, and the sweetest mangoes in the world.
Gray is an advocate of HIV/AIDS at Love Yourself Philippines, and volunteers as a teacher’s assistant to the students of a non-government organization dubbed Young Focus. She is in a relationship with Filipino-German Clint Bondad. (Robert R. Requintina)
