GRAY READY TO BEGIN MISS U REIGN
Pays courtesy call on Duterte before flying to New York
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray paid a courtesy call on President Duterte at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Thursday before the beauty queen flies to New York to begin her reign.
The newly crowned Miss Universe met Duterte around 6:20 p.m.
According to Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, President Duterte thanked Gray for bringing home the crown and that every Filipino is euphoric about her win.
In New York, Gray will do a series of press tours starting January 7, making guest appearances on popular American radio and television shows and sitin on print interviews. The headquarters of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) is located in New York City.
Gray – whose Instagram followers increased to 3 million three days after winning the Miss Universe crown – arrived in Manila on a private plane last Dec. 19.
“How I'm feeling now that there's 3MILLION of you on this journey!” says Gray on Instagram. Few days before the coronation night last Dec. 17, the number of her followers was only 800,000.
Earlier in the day, Gray met with the staff members and children of Gentle Hands. During the meeting, FrontRow Cares and the MUO donated R1 million to the residential care
facility.
Gentle Hands is a 24-hour Residential Care Facility in Cubao, Quezon City, that provides social work, medical, nutritional, home life, educational, recreational, adoption counseling, and Christian living programs to orphaned, neglected, and abandoned children in the Philippines.
Gray promised the children of Gentle Hands that she would come back soon.
Children at Gentle Hands received gifts from Gray and her companions.
‘Make someone happy’
As this developed, Gray called on the public to open their hearts this Christmas “to make someone happy” during the holidays.
“Open your hearts this Christmas and make someone happy this holiday season,” said Gray at the launch of the charity partnership between the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and FrontRow, a direct selling company in the health, beauty, and wellness industry in the Philippines, at a hotel in Makati City on Thursday.
Gray said the charity event would benefit the children of Gentle Hands.
“I love working with children because I am the only child. Growing up I always wish for siblings so when I became an adult and reached out to charities, working with children really touched my heart,” the Australian-Filipino beauty queen said.
Also joining Gray at the launch was architect Richelle Singson-Michael, daughter of former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singon and one of the seven allfemale judges at the 2018 Miss Universe contest held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Singson-Michael panned a question on Miss Universe Philippines franchise during the open forum. “Right now, we don't want to talk about the franchise. We just want to concentrate on the visit of Catriona Gray to the Philippines.”
“People have been texting me if the event is the homecoming for Catriona. I said, 'No.' Even before the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, the MUO and FrontRow have been discussing this charity event. Regardless of whoever wins the pageant, she will really attend this charity event. It's so happened that Catriona won the pageant,” Singson-Michael said.
“I hope to see you all soon,” said Catriona in her short message during the press conference.
Young Focus Philippines
Meanwhile, Bebo Bharwani, board member of Young Focus Philippines, said he is proud of the Australian-Filipino beauty queen and her works.
On Instagram, Bharwani said: “I met Catriona, about 2 years ago at the Young Focus Student Center in Tondo, Manila. Young Focus does a lot of work with the communities that live in and around the Smokey Mountain landfill.
"What was also striking about Cat's time with Young Focus was that it was clear she knew everyone. She knew the kids, their names, the dreams. She also had a special relationship with the staff of Young Focus.
“You see, staff members, the teachers, and social workers who work so hard and give of themselves are often overlooked. Cat knew them and hung out with them, she saw them.
“Just recently, we figured the problem of Smokey Mountain is that people think is that it belongs in the past, and we wanted to call attention to it. Immediately, Cat volunteered, she had a platform, and influence and spared no time using it for good.
“This long post is to convey first hand that her heart has always been to help. For us at Young Focus, together with the staff and kids, this something we have always known,” Bharwani said.