Where the Miss Universe major global
beauty pageant is concerned, the Philippines has been rather supremely blessed
recently. After decades of thinking that the only Filipinas who might ever get
to wear the prestigious crown would be Gloria Diaz and Margie Moran, the long
drought was broken in 2015 with the eventful crowning of Pia Wurtzbach (after a
mistaken winner’s announcement). Then in 2018, only three years later, the
stars aligned again with the victory of Filipina-Australia Catriona Gray. It
became a powerful hope that current Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Gazini Ganados might
achieve a back-to-back triumph by “inheriting” the crown from Gray. It did not
happen.
As CNN Philippines tells it, the Philippine campaign for an actual consecutive
win at the Miss Universe beauty pageant did not pan out. In the 2019 edition of
the competition, held at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, the current Miss
Philippines Gazini Ganados, age 23, managed to advance to the Top 20 list of candidates,
but did not go any further than that. As part of the bid to make the Top 10,
the Top 20 contestants were given an opportunity to give brief personal
statements. Ganados’ short speech highlighted her advocacy for better elderly
care, dedicated to her maternal grandparents who raised her.
"I realized that there is a
stigma between ageism, poverty, exclusivity, and invincibility,” spoke Gazini
in her address. “It is rightful for us to remember that they were the ones who
paved the way for us. We should reciprocate that love and no one should have to
be left behind." With her second-stage elimination, only Venezuela can
hold the honor of a back-to-back Miss Universe title reign. But if it is any
comfort, their candidate for this year, Thalia Olvino, did not make it past the
Top 20 as well.
Following a Top 10 and Top 5
stage, the pageant ultimately proclaimed Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi, a
26-year-old advocate against gender-based violence, as Miss Universe 2019. She
would receive from Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray the new pageant crown
designed by Swiss-Emirati luxury jeweler Mouawad, called the “Power of Unity.”
Coming up close behind Tunzi are First Runner-Up Miss Ouerto Rico (Madison
Anderson) and Second Runner-Up Miss Mexico (Sophia Aragon). Colombia and
Thailand would fill out the Top 5.
During her farewell walk as Miss
Universe before crowning Tunzi, Catriona Gray gave a parting testimony to her
activities during her reign, particularly her advocacy for more HIV/AIDS
educational awareness in the Philippines. She also thanked her fellow Filipinos
for supporting her through the year.
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