The Filipino beauty queen on her reign so far and what she plans to do after she passes on her crown
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/2mzM3Ol
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
#Dubai #MissUniverse #CatrionaGray
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/2mzM3Ol
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
#Dubai #MissUniverse #CatrionaGray
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00I've had so many friends who have already said good things about their trip to Dubai.
00:04I have friends who are based here, and I don't know why it's taking me this long.
00:07Finally, I'm here.
00:12Hi, everyone. My name is David, and I'm the editor of Golf News Tabloid,
00:16and I'm so excited today to have with me the reigning Miss Universe herself,
00:21Katrina Gray.
00:22Okay. So, Katrina, welcome to Dubai.
00:26Why did it take you so long to come to the UAE?
00:28I know, right?
00:30I was just having a conversation also with Joshua, I'm sure you've met from Expedition.
00:35I've had so many friends who have already said good things about their trip to Dubai.
00:39I have friends who are based here, and I don't know why it's taking me this long.
00:43Finally, I'm here.
00:45So, why don't we go back to that night in December?
00:49Talk a little bit about it.
00:50I know you've spoken a lot about it, but let's go back.
00:52You can't have enough of that moment, right?
00:55Well, you know what?
00:56It's such a surreal feeling
00:57to prepare for something for months and to go through such a journey to get to that one night,
01:02and it symbolizes so much because, you know,
01:05you just don't know, is my life going to change after this night ends?
01:09And actually, what's funny, it wasn't actually a night.
01:11It was an early morning in Bangkok, Thailand.
01:14It was like a 7 a.m. show.
01:15If we combine that with the lack of sleep and being topsy-turvy with time,
01:20we're all a little bit delirious, we're a little bit incredulous,
01:23but what an amazing experience.
01:25One, being in Bangkok, Thailand,
01:27there were so many amazing fans and supporters who came out to support
01:32not only me, but the rest of the girls.
01:34So, the energy in the Impact Arena was unbelievable.
01:37And of course, we had so many fellow Filipinos there also,
01:40which made me feel so, so supported that night.
01:43Even when I'm standing in top two,
01:45if you look at my face, it's almost like I'm calm.
01:49But that's really because I really had this attitude going into the competition of,
01:53I'm so grateful to be here, I know I've done my best,
01:56and if my best gets me to this place or it gives me the title,
02:00you know what, I'll be happy.
02:01And it just so happens that it was my night.
02:05Obviously, your life has changed,
02:07but tell me, in what ways did you not expect it to change, but it has changed?
02:11Like, what are the biggest differences in your life?
02:14I still feel like that same simple girl that I always was.
02:19I lived on my own in the Philippines.
02:21I used to commute.
02:23I would always take all my bags everywhere.
02:26And, you know, I'd go and do my grocery and just simple things like that.
02:29Like, I still feel like that girl.
02:31I don't feel like I've changed.
02:32But now, I sometimes get taken aback when people recognize me on the street,
02:37or I see people and they're so overwhelmed with joy and excitement upon seeing me.
02:41It kind of takes me back because I don't feel like a big deal.
02:44What does it feel like to be called the pride of the Philippines?
02:47Does it keep you up at night?
02:48It doesn't keep me up at night, but it is a huge, huge honor
02:52to be able to see people from elders to kids,
02:55see them at my homecoming, see them on social media,
02:58just either doing the lava walk or just giving words of admiration and support.
03:03It really means so, so much to me because that's what makes what I do so fulfilling.
03:08It's not just about me.
03:09It's about my country and also the people that I'm able to affect in a positive way.
03:14You have a lot of things to fulfill within this year.
03:17How much do you think you've done?
03:19How much do you think you want to do while your reign lasts?
03:23Regarding my reign, you know what?
03:24I don't see that my job ends when I pass the crown
03:28because this is something I want to do for my whole life.
03:31The work that I'm doing now is something that I want to do
03:34as Catriona in the years going forward,
03:36whether that be the charity and cause work that I do,
03:40being able to be a spokesperson, being able to be a role model,
03:43being able to be a band ambassadress,
03:45and also pursue my own passions in music and business.
03:48I want to still continue doing that even past my reign.
03:52There's a lot of talk about the Bidimiding Filipinas.
03:55Yes.
03:56And a person who's going to represent the Philippines,
03:59Kozini, who has a Middle Eastern connection.
04:01Yes, I believe she does.
04:03What are your thoughts?
04:04Would you like to pass on the crown to another Filipino?
04:07I mean, of course, I would love to.
04:09But you know what?
04:10There are so many amazing girls that come through Miss Universe every single year.
04:15And it's not even about the crown.
04:17Because within this community, there are women who excel in their own right,
04:22whether they're a Miss Universe or just a contender.
04:25And that's what's so great about our platform.
04:27It really changes girls' lives.
04:29And more so, you become a part of a community that uplifts women.
04:34I wish Kozini all the best.
04:35I'm so excited.
04:36I was there to crown her in the Philippines.
04:38You spoke about HIV AIDS in our interview.
04:41Yes.
04:42Why is that so close to your heart?
04:44And also, what would you like to do going forward?
04:47I've been an HIV and AIDS advocate for about three years now.
04:51And the sad truth is I was pulled to the cause because it affected someone close to me.
04:57When I was around 22 years old, I had a friend,
05:00because I worked as a model who was a model booker,
05:02and he passed away from health complications due to HIV.
05:06And he was only 26.
05:08And until then, I never really had any perception or any knowledge about HIV and AIDS,
05:13especially the state of it in my country of the Philippines.
05:16And it really shocked me to see that it's not only the medical implications
05:19that affects people's lives,
05:20but the stigma and discrimination that also surround them as a community.
05:25And so I've been advocating for HIV AIDS ever since,
05:30for early testing and prevention,
05:33for breaking down the stigma,
05:35opening up conversations about it.
05:37Because people's lives shouldn't be defined by a medical condition,
05:41because that's all it is.
05:42You've already released a music video.
05:44Yes.
05:45How big is music going to feature in the future for you?
05:48You know what?
05:48It's always been a passion of mine,
05:50ever since I was a little girl.
05:51And you studied music.
05:52Yes, I did.
05:53I studied music.
05:54So it's something I definitely want to pursue as a passion,
05:56as a recording artist in the future.
05:58And I would love to bring together my love for cause,
06:01and my love for music,
06:02and perhaps benefit concerts in the future too.
06:04You're meeting all your UAE fans tonight.
06:07Are you looking forward to it?
06:08I'm so excited to meet the fans tonight.
06:10I know that a lot of Filipinos will be there.
06:12And the reason that makes me really, really excited
06:15is because the majority of the Filipinos here in the UAE
06:18are overseas Filipino workers.
06:20To know the sacrifice that they make
06:22in being away from their family,
06:23just to support their family back home,
06:26is really heroic to me.
06:27And it actually inspires me
06:29because of the selflessness that they possess
06:31for the love of family and for the love of country.
06:34So I think if anything's going to be the biggest takeaway
06:36from meeting my fans tonight,
06:38it's going to be that.
06:39You are also quite popular on social media.
06:43You are quite active.
06:45How do you...
06:45I'm sure there are negativities out there as well.
06:48How does Miss Universe deal with all of that?
06:51With a lot of grace, of course.
06:55I'm honestly just like any other person.
06:57You know, I try to have a thick skin
06:58and at times it does hurt because I am human too.
07:01When it comes to negativity online,
07:03you just really have to kind of talk to yourself and say,
07:06you know what, they don't know you as a person.
07:09They don't know the depth of your character.
07:11They don't know what you've been through.
07:12They don't know what you believe in and who you are.
07:14So you shouldn't take what they say about you
07:17as an assessment of yourself.
07:19Does that make sense?
07:20Because they've never met you
07:22and then they're saying these things about you.
07:24And probably if they were in front of you,
07:25they wouldn't even say those things.
07:27So when it comes to social media,
07:29I never retaliate with negativity with negativity
07:32because I feel like that's just a never ending cycle.
07:34I always try and promote positivity
07:36and I feel like that's not conditional
07:38to me being a title holder.
07:39I believe everyone has the ability
07:41to stop that cycle of hate and negativity,
07:43especially when it comes to social media.
07:45Amazing.
07:46On that note, thank you so much.
07:48Thank you for your time also.