Philippines’ Catriona Gray is Miss Universe 2018

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ Catriona Gray is Miss Universe 2018.

Gray was hailed as Miss Universe 2018 during the coronation held at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday.

The 24-year-old beauty queen from Albay bested Miss South Africa and Miss Venezuela in the Top 3, as well as candidates from 91 other countries, to take the crown.

South Africa’s Tamaryn Green finished 1st runner-up, while Venezuela’s Sthefany Gutiérrez finished 2nd runner-up.

During the Top 5 question and answer portion, Gray was asked about her stand regarding the legalization of marijuana.

“I’m for it being used in a medical use but not so for recreational use, because I think if people were to argue what about alchohol and cigarettes, well everything is good but in moderation,” Gray said.



For the final question, Gray and her Top 3 contenders were asked: “What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life, and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?”

Gray answered: “I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is very poor, sad and I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty in it, to look in the beauty of the children and be grateful.”

“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 people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster and children would have smiles on their faces.”


Gray was crowned by Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.

The coronation was hosted by comedian Steve Harvey and supermodel Ashley Graham, while American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo performed at the competition.


Gray bagged the country’s fourth Miss U title, following Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, Margie Moran in 1973 and Gloria Diaz in 1969. /cbb

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Miss Universe draws record-high 34M tweets; Thailand, PH bets most mentioned

The recently concluded Miss Universe peageant in Manila which saw the Philippines’ own Pia Wurtzbach relinquishing her crown to Iris Mittenaere of France generated a record-breaking number of tweets, Twitter said on Tuesday.

Twitter said a total of 34.6 million Miss Universe-related tweets were recorded during the live event—the highest tweet volume for an entertainment event during a live show.

The most mentioned contestants during the pageant were Chalita Suansane of Thailand (Top 6), Philippine bet Maxine Medina (Top 6), and Raissa Santana of Brazil (Top 9).

It was also Thailand’s Suansane who won the Miss Universe online voting, which earned her a spot in the Top 13.

The most talked about moments were the end of the evening gown competition, end of the interview round, Miss Kenya being asked about United States President Donald Trump, end of the swimsuit segment, and the announcement of Top 6 contestants.

Despite Medina’s loss, Twitter noted that Filipino users tweeted out “big support” to the Philippine representative.

Here are the top Twitter moments on the 65th Miss Universe pageant: https://twitter.com/i/moments/825598159409647616

source: technology.inquirer.net

Miss Universe bets in Davao: adventurous in nature trip, elegant in fashion show

DAVAO CITY – From the mountain to the runway.

That’s what the Miss Universe candidates did in their short visit here Thursday.

Less than an hour after they arrived, the 29 candidates were herded into a waiting bus for a very late lunch at the Eden Nature Park and Resort, a mountain haven in Toril District, more than an hour ride from the Francisco Bangoy International Airport.


There, they were welcomed by schoolchildren who waited for more than three hours. The candidates had a brief dance showdown with the Bagobo children, but the resort was off limits to media.

The 29 candidates did not have the time to try the mountain resort’s adrenaline-pumping rides like the Skyswing, Skycycle and the zipline as they had to rush back to the SMX Convention Center for the Mindanao Tapestry fashion show.

With the event already delayed for more than an hour, the paying audience were made to wait outside the venue because the girls still had to do some runway rehearsals.

A pre-show at the mall’s foyer featured local models dressed by Mindanao designers Ronnie Nacua, Toffy Ledesma, John Bonnie Adaza, Bamba Limon, Nicky de Asis, Richie Uy delos Santos, Steffy Dacalus, Joey Hambala, Windel Mira, Grand Crizzel Ravacio, Pepe Quitco, Che Aranjuez, Mark Sayad, Ivan Raborar, Wilfred Yee, Akmad Kari Jr., and Saidali Abdilla Jr..

The main show opened with Miss USA Deshauna Barber wearing homegrown designer Aztec Barba’s gown.

Barba’s creation was followed by nine other Davao designers, including Mindanao fashion czar Alfonso “Boy” Giuno-o’s which was modeled by Miss Philippines Maxine Madina.

The local designers included Silverio Anglacer and Kenny Lagada, and Davao Fashion and Design Council members Emi Englis, Kenny Ladaga, Benjie Panizales, Dodjie Batu, Edgar Buyan, Wilson Limon and Egay Ayag.

Short video presentations on how the Mindanao fabrics are woven and tribal dances served as “in-betweeners” for the show.

The candidates also wore collections made by Manila-based designer Renee Salud who used Maguindanao’s “inaul” for ball gowns, South Cotabato’s Tinalak for long gowns, Basilan’s hand-woven fabric “tennun” for casual wear and Maranao malong for trapeze dresses.

The show was capped with minor prizes given away by sponsor Pheonix Oil– Miss Philippines won Hiyas ng Pheonix, Miss Indonesia Kezia Warouw was Miss Smile, and Miss Venezuela Mariam Habach was named Miss Phoenix. IDL

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Hollywood star Chloë Grace Moretz pushes for reforms in Miss Universe

Hollywood actress Chloë Grace Moretz has called out the Miss Universe competition for supposedly “judging women walking around in bathing suits” and suggested how it could further celebrate the lives of women.

In a series of tweets, Moretz, who starred in “Kick Ass” and “If I Stay,” said that in this day and age, the 64-year-old pageant needs to do away with its swimsuit competition.

“Miss universe is still judging women walking around in bathing suits. If it’s based on confidence, why [are] we zooming in on their bodies?..”

“It’s a new time.. I think it’s time we cut the swimsuit section from miss Universe ..” she said.

For her, the pageant needs to shift its focus in vetting women based on how they speak before the public and on their “philanthropic tenacity.”

“Let’s do a miss universe based on interviews and public speaking and philanthropic tenacity,” the 18-year-old actress said.

Moretz, meanwhile, praised Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, saying that she deserved the crown.

“Miss Philippines deserves that she felt so genuine and real,” she said. AJH

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Pia Wurtzbach hurdles unexpected twists and turns to win third Miss Universe crown for PH

FORTY-TWO years of waiting for one of their own to be crowned Miss Universe weren’t enough, as pageant-crazy Filipinos had to wait a few seconds more before American host Steve Harvey corrected his mistake: Miss Universe 2015 wasn’t Ariadna Gutierrez-Arevalo as he earlier announced, but 26-year-old German-Filipino beauty queen Pia Alonzo-Wurtzbach.

“It was my fault,” Harvey kept telling a global TV audience and those who paid to watch the show at Planet Hollywood Hotel in Las Vegas, venue of this year’s contest.

This year’s edition, under new owners IMG, a New York-based events and talent management company, which bought the 64-year-old beauty pageant from billionaire businessman and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, proceeded without a hitch until Harvey announced the names of the winner and first runner-up.

Miss USA Olivia Jordan, who, like Wurtzbach, was an online and crowd favorite, clinched second runner-up.

“Since Steve was new at hosting Miss Universe, I think he was confused,” said Manila-based publicists and events planner Albert Almendralejo, who witnessed the entire show up close. “I heard that he was told by the Miss Universe staff to announce Miss Colombia’s name first before Pia’s. He did do that, but he unwittingly managed to interchange their positions.”

After realizing his mistake, Harvey had to correct himself to the shock of both Arevalo, who was already wearing the crown and waving a small Colombia flag, and Wurtzbach, who was already in the sidelines with Jordan and the other delegates. He even waved the written results to the audience to convince them.

With some prodding from Jordan, a reluctant Wurtzbach walked to the center of the stage. It probably took awhile for the Spanish-speaking Arevalo to realize what was happening, said Almendralejo, since she just stood stoically with “her chin up.”

Boos and jeers from the Latino audience were countered by cheers from Wurtzbach’s Filipino supporters, who dominated the venue.

It took Arevalo’s compatriot Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vega to break the impasse by gently removing the crown from the first runner-up’s head and putting it on Wurztbach’s.

“Not everything was captured on TV,” said Almendralejo. “A crying Miss Colombia run to her fellow Latinas, while a somewhat dazed Pia received support and profuse congratulations from Miss USA and most of the delegates from Asia and Europe.”

“I want to apologize emphatically to Miss Philippians (sic) and Miss Columbia (sic),” Harvey later said on Twitter. “This was an honest human mistake. I am so regretful.”

Instead of the usual ten to 12 judges, only four celebrity judges, including Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo, determined the results this year. For the first time in the pageant’s history, organizers allowed online voting to constitute 20 percent of a contestant’s overall score in each event. There were four events: swimsuit, evening gown, and two sets of question and answer.

From Top 15 contestants, the results of last week’s preliminaries, the number of girls was whittled down to 10, then five and finally three. When the combined online votes were counted, Wurtzbach emerged on top.

Each contestant in the Top 5 answered a question relating to current issues in her country. Wurtzbach was asked about her views on the presence of American troops in the Philippines.

Filipinos and Americans, she said, have had a long history and “special relations.” As a “colonized” people, Filipinos are generally welcoming of Americans. She didn’t see it as a “problem.”

For the second set of question and answer, the Top 3 were each asked the same question: Asked why she wants to become Miss Universe, Wurztbach gave a short and straight answer about the importance of having a global platform to pursue her advocacy of AIDS and HIV awareness. Being Miss Universe, she said, is about being “confidently beautiful with a heart.”

Another twist awaited the Top 3 as Harvey told them that their fellow delegates would also weigh in on the final outcome. For the first time in years, the Philippine delegate was wearing a gown designed by a Filipino–Albert Andrada. Pageant observers believed that the blue silk gazaar serpentina gown was instrumental in boosting Wurtzbach’s chances in the finals.

Wurtzbach follows in the footsteps of Margarita Moran, the second Filipina to win Miss Universe in 1973. Moran won the titled four years after Gloria Diaz first brought home the crown to the Philippines.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net