The fourth Filipina to win the Miss Universe (2018) title–Catriona Gray, broke her silence to officially endorse her presidential and vice-presidential bets via a heartfelt declaration video.
In a video that was uploaded on her YouTube channel today, April 18, Miss Universe 2018, Gray, articulated her reasons why she chose her presidential and vice-presidential bets in the 2022 national polls.
“I usually shy away from the topic of politics,” she informed her viewers through her opening words. “But since becoming an adult… taxpayer at that, and further deepening my sense of nationalism, I’ve really come to realize that politics should not be a topic of conversation reserved just for a few of us, but rather a necessity for everyone, that we’re not only aware of, but also understand, and partake in it as citizens of a democratic country.”
She admitted that she is not, in any way, an authority when it comes to matters of economics, leadership, or politics, but she felt the need to speak up, merely because she is a Filipino.
“I am a Filipino with a platform, and with that I feel that I have a sense of responsibility.”
She said she was hoping that her choice would be able to help the Filipino voters decide for the better in the coming election.
“The aim of this video is to share the qualities that you feel make a good leader,” she told her viewers, who may think that the video is about naming the candidates she wants to win. She hopes that her qualifications would also be her fellow Filipinos’ qualifications in choosing the right leaders.
Gray talked about those qualities throughout much of her video. She talked about scrutinizing every candidate’s background and warned about false narratives which are widespread on social media, these days. “It takes a lot of discernment…it’s really helpful to read, cross-reference different sources and materials” she advised.
She also urged those who have access to correct and factual information to make sure that that information reaches those who are cut off from the verified and legitimate sources “Everyone deserves the opportunity to make up their own opinion based on facts” she said.
Gray shared qualities that for her, the right presidential candidate should possess, among which includes experiences, reputation, lasting impact, and others.
Ultimately, the Filipina beauty queen informed her fans and viewers who she thought is the right one to lead the Filipino people. While she invited Filipinos to vote according to their own set of categories, it was in her hopes to convince her viewers to vote for the same people she chose: Vice President Leni Robredo for President and Senator Kiko Pangilinan for Vice-President.
