Miss World Philippines 2016 Catriona Gray advocates education, volunteers in Smokey Mountain
Newly crowned Miss World Philippines Catriona Gray indeed embodies Miss World’s ethos of ‘beauty with a purpose.’
The twenty-two year old Fil-Australian beauty works with an education-concentrated NGO called Young Focus which gives ‘children and youth [in Smokey Mountain] the opportunity to develop intellectually as well as creatively and socially.’
Catriona has taken it upon herself to raise funds for the preschool in the area. She does this through benefit concerts, auctioning off original artworks, creating social media movements, and approaching different bodies and companies. She calls this campaign as ‘Paraiso: Beginning’s Project.’
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In the Q&A portion of the coronation night of Miss World Philippines, she said that she will use the title to help enlighten and empower more people.
“To be a Miss World is to be passed a torch that burns with passion and purpose. If I am to become Miss World Philippines, I would dedicate my voice and essence to carry that torch and to set charitable causes alight, such as my advocacy, the Paraiso Bright Beginnings Project, and I would focus on passing on this torch to empower others because I believe together, there is no darkness in this world that our light cannot overcome,” she said.
In the answer to the question ‘When you get up in the morning and look in the mirror, what do you see?’, she shared about the importance she gives to continuous elf-development and the pursuit to be charitable.
“I see someone who is constantly trying to be better. I always endure to be better than the day before, to do things that challenge me, to do things outside the box. And something that is very fulfilling that I have found is that when I look in the mirror and I want to see someone who gives back to the community, and that’s someone who I achieve to be every single day,” she answered.
Catriona bagged several special awards including Best in Swimsuit and Best in Long Gown.
The coronation was held last night, October 2 at the Manila Hotel, and was hosted by Richard Gutierrez, Gwendoline Ruais, and Queneerich Rehman.
They were joined by anchors Lauren Reid and Sarah Peters.
Catriona is set to fly to Washington on December for the Miss World 2016 pageant.
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