She is winsome, isn't she? Attractive. Sweet. Engaging.
Winning.
She has
just won the Miss Universe 2018 title. Did it on purpose. Did it with a world
view. But which one?
Is
the world view of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo correct about what
Catriona Gray has done by winning? Quoting now ANN (17 December 2018, "Catriona
Gray's Miss Universe Win Further Empower(s) Filipino Women – Malacañang," UNTV News, ph.news.yahoo.com):
The Presidential (Spokesman) acknowledged
that Catriona has made the entire country proud when she "showcased the
genuine qualities defining a Filipina beauty: confidence, grace, intelligence
and strength in the face of tough challenges. Ms Gray's triumph sets the bar
high in empowering more Filipino women to believe in themselves and to fight
for their own place in the universe."
Sorry, but Mr Spokesman, you are wrong on
both counts.
One:
No, you don't empower people, male or
female, to believe in themselves and
fight. Yes, faith is necessary, but no, it is not enough to empower anyone.
What did Miss Catriona do to empower herself? You have to find a compelling
reason to empower yourself.
Especially after losing. She said after losing
the Miss World title in 2016 (ANN, 21 December 2016, "Catriona Gray Opens
Up After Miss World Loss," news.abs-cbn.com),
losing her way as on a journey:
A journey that forced me to look into myself
and discover what I was made of. A journey that found its heart in the children
in one of the poorest slums in my country. Yes, the crown represented a
journey… until I realized that the journey could continue and exist without it.
The
pressing problem of poverty became the world view of Miss Catriona, and she
shrugged off her Miss World loss and reached for the crown of helping the
children in one of the poorest slums in her country. With that crown as goal, bigger than herself, Catriona Gray empowered Catriona Gray.
And
how much did she empower herself? Deni Rose M Afinidad-Bernardo tells us how
much she prepared for the contest (27 November 2018, "Catriona Gray To
Include 'Entire Philippines' In Miss Universe National Costume," PhilStar, philstar.com):
Everything that's worth doing is worth doing
well. Like in Binibining Pilipinas, I went for all or nothing, and the same
applies for Miss Universe.
She went all the way!
Two:
Mr Panelo:
To fight for your own place in the
universe is selfish! Like, Ms Catriona's advocacy included Young Focus in Manila – a project which after
the 2016 contest the Miss World Organization financially supported.
In
this year's contest where she became Miss Universe Philippines, her winning message
was not only to the young women of Marawi, but to all the women (Christian
Apostol, 19 March 2018, "Catriona Gray: Miss Universe Philippines 2018, 5
'Shades of Gray'," Pilipinas Popcorn,
pilipinaspopcorn.com):
If we could get the women to stay strong and
be that image of strength for the children and the people around them, then
once the rebuilding is complete… the morale of the community will stay strong
and high.
Stay strong! High with Women Power!517
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