Catriona Gray itinanghal na Miss Universe 2018!

WAGI bilang Miss Universe 2018 si Catriona Gray!

Sa pagkapanalo ng pambato ng ‘Pinas, siya ang ikaapat na nakapag-uwi ng korona ng Miss Universe. Kahilera na niya sina Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margie Moran (1973), at Gloria Diaz (1969).

Kahapon, kinoronahan si Gray bilang 2018 Miss Universe sa grand coronation night sa Bangkok, Thailand. Crowd favorite si Catriona sa 67th edition ng pinaka-prestigious beauty pageant na tinalo niya ang iba pang 94 kandidata.

Tinalo ni Catriona sina Tamaryn Green ng South Africa na siyang naging first runner-up at si Sthefany Gutierrez ng Miss Venezuela ang second runner up.

Nakalamang si Catriona sa final question and answer sa kanilang tatlo. Sa tanong na, “What was the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?” Sagot ni Miss Philippines, “I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is… it’s poor and very sad. And I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty of it, to look for beauty in the faces of the children and to be grateful. 

“And 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 faces. Thank you.”

Ang mga kandidatang pumasok sa Top 10 ay kinabibilangan nina South Africa (Tamaryn Green), Vietnam (H’Hen Niê), Venezuela (Sthefany Gutiérrez), Costa Rica (Natalia Carvajal), Curacao (Akisha Albert), Nepal (Manita Devkota), Canada (Marta Stepien), Thailand (Sophida Kanchanarin), at Puerto Rico (Kiara Ortega).

Bukod kay Catriona na nakapasok sa Top 5, pasok din sina Miss Puerto Rico (Kiara Ortega), Vietnam (H’Hen Niê), South Africa (Tamaryn Green), at Venezuela (Sthefany Gutiérrez).

Korona ni Catriona, P13.2-M ang halaga

TINATAYANG nagkakahalaga ng $250,000 (Php13.2-M) ang Mikimoto crown na isinuot kay Catriona. Ito’y mayroong 500 diamonds at may bigat ng humigit kumulang sa 30 carats at 120 South Sea at Akoya pearls.

Ayon pa sa artikulo ng Esquire, mag-uuwi ng generous prize package si Gray bagamat hindi sinabi ng Miss Universe official kung magkano ang halaga niyon. Pero isa ang tiyak, katulad din iyon ng nakaraang patimpalak na maluho.

Ayon naman sa The National (private newspaper sa Abu Dhabi UAE) na pinagkunan ng Esquire, makakukuha ang magwawaging Miss Universe 2018 ng “a year-long salary as Miss Universe and a luxury accommodation in a New York City apartment for the duration of her reign, including living expenses.”

Bukod dito, marami pang papremyo ang matatanggap ni Catriona.

Gray, ‘di makapaniwalang magwawagi

AMINADO ang itinanghal na Miss Universe 2018 na hindi siya tiyak na siya ang mananalo.

Anang Filipino-Australian beauty queen sa interbyu ni Dyan Castillejo ng ABS-CBN, “It doesn’t feel like it, (it) has sunk in pa, eh, parang parang dream state pa ako, eh.” Ibinahagi naman ni Catriona ang kanyang panalo sa mga Filipino at buong puso siyang nagpasalamat sa pagsama ng mga Pinoy sa kanyang journey sa patimpalak.

ni MARICRIS V. NICASIO