Miss World Philippines Catriona Gray: ‘This is an amazing moment I will never forget’

Candidate #13 Catriona Elisa Gray was crowned Miss World Philippines 2016 Sunday night, besting 23 other young women from all over the country for the title.

Gray was competitive even in the earlier stages of the competition, bagging four awards—Miss Organique, Miss Figlia, Miss Folded & Hung and Miss Talent—at the pageant's gala charity night last week.

On the grand coronation night, she won five out of the six special awards: Miss Manila Hotel, Miss Hannah, Best in Fashion Runway, Best in Long Gown and Best in Swimsuit.

During the first Q&A round, Gray was asked, "When you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, who do you see?"

Her reply: "I see someone who is constantly trying to be better. I always endure to always be better than the day before, to do things that challenge me, to do things outside the box, and something that is very fulfilling that I have found is when I look in the mirror I want to see someone who gives back to the community and that's someone I achieve to be every single day."

Candidate #13 answering the question, when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror who do you see? @gmanews pic.twitter.com/lwQnF0tDGs

— Jannie (@jannieannb) October 2, 2016

When the finalists were down to five, each of them were asked the question, "Why should you be Miss World Philippines 2016?"

Gray's winning answer was, "To be a Miss World is to be passed a torch that burns with passion and purpose. If I am to become MIss World Philippines, I will dedicate my voice and essence to carry that torch and to set charitable causes alight, such as my personal advocacy, the Paraiso Bright Beginnings Project. And I would focus on passing on this torch to empower others because I believe together there is no darkness in this world that our light cannot overcome."

GMA News Online asked Gray how it feels being crowned Miss World 2016 Philippines. "I feel very overwhelmed, like I can't even process right now. I know the crown's on my head but it hasn't sunk in yet," she said. "I don't know when it will, but this is an amazing moment for me I will never forget."

Catriona also said it was rewarding to see all her hard work paying off, and that she's ready to take on the challenges of the next months.

She said that as Miss World Philippines, she plans to focus on charity and her personal advocacy for education.

"You can expect someone who would really do their best and would give their all and not only that, I really want to make charity a huge aspect to my reign and I hope I can further my personal advocacy, the Bright Beginnings Project, where I'm helping the children in Tondo in access to a pretty nice school education," she said.

Catriona Gray will represent the Philippines at the Miss World pageant in Washington D.C. in December. — BM, GMA News