If Binibining Pilipinas were a popularity contest, Catriona Gray may have had it in the bag in an instant. Gray has made fans from the moment she started joining beauty pageants. In 2016, she is Miss World Philippines. But fate didn’t permit her in winning the international contest. However, fans urged her to join again; this time in Binibining Pilipinas. This year, she joined Binibining Pilipinas. She was an instant crowd favorite.
In the question and answer portion US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim asked, “After the devastating war, Marawi is on its way to recovery. What is your message to the young women of Marawi?”
To which she answered, “Thank you for that question. My answer and my message to the women is to be strong. As women, we’re the head of the household and we have amazing influence not only in our families, as mothers, sisters, and friends, but also in our community. If we could get the women to stay strong and be that image of strength for the children and the people around them, then once the rebuilding is complete and is underway, the morale of the community will stay strong and high. Thank you.”
In an interview, she was hesitant that she has it in the bag. But in the end, she became Binibining Pilipinas Universe. She will be representing the country later this year. LOOK: Miss World Philippines 2016 Catriona Gray, 5 Instagram Photos You Must See
Shades of Gray: The Hues of Catriona Gray
Advocacy – Paraiso: The Bright Beginnings Project
As a beauty queen, one of the responsibilities rested on a candidate’s shoulders is to have an advocacy. It could either be an advocacy supported by Binibining Pilipinas or the candidate’s chosen advocacy. But even before Gray became a beauty queen, she has been supporting various organizations. One of which is a project called Paraiso.
Paraiso, which translates to Paradise, is a cause-focused to cater for the less fortunate Filipinos. The cause helps the people from Smokey Mountains. It is a place in Manila, the Philippines where all garbage gets dumped. Paraiso aims to fundraise for preschools in the area. But with lack of funds, Paraiso is still an active cause. As of press writing, Paraiso is still accepting donations to help raise money. This is to provide classrooms for the children of Smokey Mountains.
Artistic Bloodline
Gray is not only beauty but also brains. She is also of artistic skills and inclination. Her grandmother, Catherine Gray nee Ross, is an established painter from Scotland. According to her website, Cat’ell, Gray is a budding musician. She maintains a YouTube channel under her name. Due to her love for music, she pursued Music Theory in Berklee Massachusetts. She was even a lead role in the local adaptation of the hit Broadway show “Miss Saigon.”
Whatever art form she is pursuing, she makes sure she grows in creativity. Coming from Australia, Gray has become a child of many interests. But one of the activities she has maintained is her Taekwondo training. Right now, she is a black belter. Although she’s an artistic person, she still tries to be as active as possible.
A ‘Dual’ Queen
It’s rare to have a beauty contest candidate to jump from one organization to another. However, Gray is one of a kind. Binibining Pilipinas is under Stela Marquez-Araneta. She is a former representative from Colombia back in the day. Cory Quirino, a known beauty expert, handles Miss World Philippines. Both organizations are part of the top beauty contests in the Philippines.
In the history of pageants, Gray is the only contestant to transition from Miss World to Binibining Pilipinas. This is after her stint in the Miss World pageant in 2016. Fans claim that Gray deserved the title. They asked her to join another pageant, this time in Binibining Pilipinas. During that time, Gray said that she would think about it. She said that she still has responsibilities with the Miss World Organization. She has the whole year to work on. But when her reign as Miss World was over, she applied for Binibining Pilipinas on the last day of filing for candidacy.
Fourth Bicolano
Although Gray is a mix of Aussie-Filipino genes, her mother is a pure Filipina from Bicol. Her mother, Normita Magnayon, is from Oas in Albay. In her Miss World introductory video, she showcased the beautiful town of Albay. She did her spiels in front of Mayon.
In the history of Binibining Pilipinas, she is the fourth Bicolana. Miss Universe Philippines 2017 Rachel Peters hails from Camarines Sur. She landed in the top six of Miss Universe 2017. Venus Raj, Miss Universe Philippines 2011, is from Camarines Sur as well. She landed 4th place in Miss Universe 2011. Another Bicolana is Miriam Quiambao. Known for her graceful recovery from sliding on stage, Quiambao was from Albay. She finished 1st in Miss Universe 1999.
Cat-Elle: A Nomenclature of Identity
Although busy, Gray maintains a blog site. Cat-Elle, derived from her names Catriona and Elisa, is a blog site filled with posts from her. In there, she posts her travels, designs, advocacy, and even self-written articles.
As a model, she gets inspiration from nature, culture, and the art that a society has. She often incorporates and uses them as inspiration. In her blog, she posts mood boards of outfits based on the colors of nature. The palettes in her photos are from what the actual colors of nature look like. She also shares beauty tips with her readers.
In her articles, she tries to become sincere and relatable. The way she presents her thoughts is personal. You can feel that you are friends and sharing stories with each other. But with her win in Binibining Pilipinas, she will not have enough time to maintain this blog. However, her team would do it for her.
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