Planned months in advance, a charity event for the benefit of Metro Manila’s at-risk children, and spearheaded by FrontRow and the Miss Universe Organization, had no less than the newly crowned Miss Universe as chief endorser. They didn’t have to look far since Catriona Gray just won the coveted title.
By Alex Y. Vergara
Photos by Ramon Ruiz
As organizers, led by stage actor and businessman RS Francisco and architect Richelle Louise Singson-Michael, kept on pointing out during this morning’s event featuring newly crowned Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, it wasn’t a homecoming press conference, but rather part of FrontRow and the Miss Universe Organization’s (MUO’s) partnership and commitment to make certain underprivileged children’s Christmas season happier and extra special this year.
And they couldn’t have chosen a better a person to work with. It’s been widely known even before she won for the country its fourth Miss Universe crown last Monday in Bangkok, how passionate the Fil-Aussie beauty queen is about her advocacy with children, especially those living in the slums of Tondo, Manila.
“This is not a homecoming press con,” said RS, president of FrontRow, a multi-level marketing company that sells cosmeceuticals and food supplements, among others. “If it were, we won’t be able to fit the entire Philippines in this ballroom. We would have had 20 parades!”
This year, FrontRow and MUO have chosen as one of their beneficiaries Gentle Hands, a child and youth welfare agency on the frontlines of rescuing and rehabilitating the medical, social, psychological and educational needs of at-risk children and youth.
The charity event, which includes a visit by Catriona to an orphanage in Quezon City, had been planned and finalized by FrontRow and MUO “even before a winner was declared,” RS added. In other words, had, say, Miss South Africa won Miss Universe, it would be her and not Catriona who’d grace the press conference and gift-giving.
A day after arriving from Bangkok, where she bested 93 other women for the coveted Miss Universe title, Catriona, wearing a stylized corset top in fuchsia and high-waisted pants in black, was all smiles, waving and blowing kisses, as she faced journalists, who were forewarned by the event’s host that she would be entertaining no questions.
Instead, it was RS and Richelle, daughter of Luis “Chavit” Singson and CEO of the LCS Group, who answered questions from journalists, including the truth behind rumors that LCS has finally wrested ownership of the Miss Universe Philippines franchise from long-time owner Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc.
“There are no talks yet of the franchise,” said Richelle, neither confirming nor denying raging talk among beauty pageant aficionados. “Right now, we just want to focus on Catriona coming home to the Philippines and congratulate her for her glorious winning.”
The fact that Catriona flew with Richelle and Chavit on the latter’s private jet didn’t escape journalists’ scrutiny. She broke away, sort of, from tradition since past Miss Universe winners were usually whisked away from their respective contest venues directly to New York. In Pia Wurtzbach’s case, for instance, the country’s third Miss Universe flew immediately the next day to the Big Apple after winning the title in Las Vegas.
Pia only returned home a few months later to face Philippine media and star in her own Metro Manila-wide parade. All her earlier interviews were conducted by members of the American media, including a few TV and radio stations. MUO apparently wants to keep it that way.
“Flying first to the Philippines was an easy choice for her. Since Thailand is quite near the Philippines, it was an easy choice for her stop here first before going to New York,” Richelle reasoned.
For her part, Catriona thanked journalists, some of whom waited for her for nearly two hours, for their time.
“We’re here for an amazing cause, which is, of course, the partnership of Front Row with MUO for Gentle Hands, a children’s charity,” she shared. “We are giving [away] the gift of giving. We are giving away gifts to children today. Of course, it’s Christmas, di ba? Ang saya ng season, and, of course, giving is so important, especially for children.”
The 5’10”-stunner oozed with wit and girlish charm: “As was stated before, this event was planned way back for the new Miss Universe of 2018, which just so happened is a Filipina.”
“What is wonderful,” she continued, “is they’re (children) going to experience the joy and happiness this season, which, I hope will inspire each and everyone of you and your readers this Christmas. To give whether it’s small, whether it’s large. [To give] anything to make someone’s Christmas season happy.”
And why is she drawn to children? Catriona answered her own question. As an only child, she always wished for siblings while going up. When she became an adult and started reaching out to charities, “working with children just really helps my heart because they’re so pure and, you know, it’s the simple things that make them happy.”
Before leaving journalists, including a throng of photographers who couldn’t seem to get enough of her, she promised everyone that “I will definitely be seeing you very soon.”
