Catriona Gray gets candid on 'The Bottom Line' interview

MANILA, Philippines - Bumalik sa The Bottomline si Miss Universe Philippines 2018 na si Catriona Grey noong
Sabado, Nobyembre 24 upang sagutin ang mga katanungan mula sa isang panel kahit na siya ay handa na
para sa Miss Universe pageant sa Thailand noong Disyembre 17.

Sa pakikipanayam sa isang panel na binubuo ng mga kaibigan kasama ang Binibining Pilipinas Grand
International 2016 na si Nicole Cordoves, taga-disenyo ng damit na panlalaki na si Domz Ramos, mga
embahador ng mga estudyante, mga taga-disenyo ng fashion, at mga analista ng pahina, sinagot ni Catriona
ang isang hanay ng mga katanungan mula sa kalusugan ng kaisipan, edukasyon, pagkababae, kabiguan, at
ang mga katangiang pinaniniwalaan niya na maaaring gumawa ng kanyang panalo sa korona.

Here some excerpts from the interview:

Nicole Cordoves: how would you show a cynic how beautiful the world is?
Catriona: Well I think how we perceive our outer world is how we perceive our inner world. When you can see
it from a lens of gratitude or you're able to pinpoint small beauties in everday life or small acts of humanity, or
something that makes you smile, you have to make an effort to see it. And so I would tell that cynic look
around you, is there something that's distorting your view of the world? And if there is, remove it and try to see
the beauty in the world because it's a beautiful world.

Christian Lacsamana: If given a chance to be a teacher for a day, what subject would you like to teach?
Catriona: It would actually be life skills, especially when they're young – how to interact with each other. Like
simple things – how to share or something that's taken away from them. Or if there's a dispute, something to
reason out that children can understand because i think a lot of the times in our education system, basic life
skills are taught [but] they are not in placed. So when we grow into adults trying to figure out the world that we
become into, we have to make mistakes and we have to learn through people hey, we shouldn't approach it in
this way or there's a problem here, this not how you handle it. So I think you need to start young if you make it
simple for children then they would grow too reasonable and equal headed adults.

Stephen Amoyo: Ano ang masasabi mo sa pagtanggal ng Filipino at Panitikan sa College Curriculum?
Catriona: I think it would be really sad if we were to reach that point. One because I feel that when you reach a
certain age, you'll have an appreciation for what Tagalog is – the poetry of it, the history of it. How it represents
our culture. Whereas it you would just take that out, who else would pioneer our language for the next
generation?

Paul Semira: Are you ready not to win the crown?

Catriona: I never consider failure. Why? Because I feel that if you have that in your vision, it will distract you, it
will withdraw your energy from you. And I need 100%, 120% of my energy to go towards winning.

Domz Ramos: would you rather be the one who hides the truth or the one who tells a lie?
Catriona: I would rather be the one who hides the truth because I believe no matter what, the truth will always
come out. And I always believe that staying true to myself which is what I did in being an independent
candidate, I just wanted to create my own team. Instead of focusing on multiple girls, I got undecided focus
from a team of people that I chose myself. So I was allowed to be creative in that space and surround myself
with a core team and it's one of the best decisions I made.

Jian Lasala: (HIV/AIDS awareness) Do you really think that beauty queens has a voice convincing the
government in making it a national priority?
Catriona: I think we do have a voice to use. Why? Because governments listen to the people. And if I can be a
voice to the people, and either empower them to speak up or to somehow create awareness or educate about
the cause just like what I do as an HIV advocate and go around in campus tours, that's when you have enough
collective voices that's when the government will start to hear us.

Erik Gonzales: What political issues that you are strongly for or against ang why?
Catriona: I like to take it as if it's the time and place. I am not going to be a public figure that just spouses an
opinion without being considerate of both sides and validating both sides because at the end of the day, I wear
a Philippines sash and the Philippines is made up of millions of Filipinos with different points of view and
different political standpoints. So I never want to polarize that.
Whereas for my own individual belief, something that I'm passionate about is inequality and in that unequal
access to basic human rights such as education. And this is something close to my heart because I work in
Tondo a lot or even education working with Love Yourself where there are so many areas that are
experiencing just a gap of awareness of basic education and alter people's lives.