Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran Floirendo. INQUIRER FILE / LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Many complimented Catriona Gray’s winning answer which led her to bring home the Miss Universe crown on Monday and one of them was Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran.

“With her, it’s a skill, it’s a gift because you can be intelligent, but not articulate,” Moran said in an interview over ANC’s “Headstart.”

“I think she was well prepared. She was enthusiastic; whatever she answered, she answered it well and complete. She prepared for it,” she added.

Moran thought Gray had a “hard time because there were so many beautiful women and they spoke well.”

However, it was the last question that made Gray stand out: “The last question was the clincher. She nailed it. Because it was complete and she answered it well.”

Gray, alongside Tamaryn Green of South Africa and Sthefany Gutiérrez of Venezuela, were asked: “What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life, and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?”

Gray answered: “I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is very poor, sad and I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty in it, to look in the beauty of the children and 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 people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster and children would have smiles on their faces.”

Gray joins Moran, Gloria Diaz and Pia Wurtzbach as Miss Universe titleholders from the country. /cbb