After a long wait, Miss Philippines Catriona Gray was crowned Miss Universe 2018 after much excitement and exhilaration at the event. The Miss Universe beauty pageant was held in Bangkok, Thailand. Among the previous Miss Universe titleholder, Gray became the fourth Philippines who won this title after joining Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973) and Pia Wurtzbach (2015).
She entered Top 20 and was questioned by the Host Steve Harvey, “You are a singer and musician. If you are going to write a song about your experience here in Miss Universe, what would you call it?”
For the reply she beautifully answered, “As Miss Philippines, I’ve always felt the love and the support of the Filipino people. And I think I brought half of my country here tonight and so I would name the song Raise Your Flag, because I stand here not as one, but as a hundred and more millions of Filipinos.”
In the next round, she was then selected for the Top 10 round. She was selected along with other contestants including South Africa, Canada, Vietnam, Venezuela, Nepal, Thailand, Curacao and Puerto Rico.
All the ten contestants from different countries presented and displayed their best walks and wears all through the swimwear round and evening gown competition. In the final round, Catriona Gray completed a spot with her stunning red gown which has been designed by Filipino fashion designer Mak Tumang.
After top 10, Catriona Gray made her entry to the Top 5 along with 4 other countries participants such as Puerto Rico, Vietnam, South Africa and Venezuela. The top 5 were asked questions that were created by corresponding contestants. The answers for the following asked questions had to be answered in 30 seconds or less.
After top 5 contestants’ competition, Top 3 were determined such as Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela who successfully made their entry to the final three. For the duration of the final round, each contender was questioned the similar question. While the question was asked from one contestant, the other two contenders were asked to wear headphones so that they can’t hear each other answers.
Harvey asked the final question, “What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?”
Catriona Gray smartly replied the answer, “I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is poor and it’s very sad. And I have always taught myself to look for the beauty in it; to look in the beauty in the faces of the children and to be grateful. And I will 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. And if I can teach people to be grateful, we can have an amazing world where negativity cannot grow and prosper, and children will have smiles on their faces”
After all three final contenders given their answer for the final question, the exciting moment arrived finally and Philippines Catriona Gray was declared and was crowned as Miss Universe 2018.
