Every Miss Universe pageant, spectators always anticipate for the girls to strut their stuff in the most gorgeous evening gowns, most creative national costumes and in the sultriest of bikinis. But one segment in the pageant that never fails to make a buzz is the Question and Answer. The Miss Universe Organization says the contest isn’t just a beauty pageant. Women aspiring to win the crown must be intelligent, well-mannered, and cultured. A candidate will often lose the pageant if she does not have a good answer in the Q&A portion.
Here are the winning answers given by the Philippines’ four Miss Universe contestants who won the crown from 1969 to 2018.
Gloria Diaz, 1969
Question: “In a next day or so, a man will land on the moon. If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?”
Answer: “Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been in the moon for so long I think when he comes over he wants to change, I guess.”
Margarita Moran, 1973
Question: “Let’s make believe that all of a sudden you had a million dollars. What’s the first thing you would buy and why would you buy it?”
Answer: “A house and lot because it’s the most expensive thing and I can’t afford it. If I had a million bucks, I’ll buy a house and lot and live by myself and other people of course.”
Pia Wurtzbach, 2015
Question: “Why should you be the next Miss Universe?”
Answer: “To be a Miss Universe is both an honour and responsibility. If I were to be Miss Universe, I will use my voice to influence the youth and I would raise awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country which is the Philippines. I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart.”
Catriona Gray, 2018
Question: "What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life, and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?"
Answer: "I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila, and the life there is very poor and very sad. I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty in it, to look for the beauty in the faces of the children, and to 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 also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their face. Thank you."