MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gay will meet President Rodrigo Duterte at the Villamor Air Base on Thursday afternoon.
Gray will pay a courtesy call on the President at the Kalayaan Hangar at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at around 5:30 p.m.
Gray won the Miss Universe crown on Monday during the 2018 pageant at the IMPACT Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Malacañang has hailed Gray for showcasing “the genuine qualities defining a Filipina beauty: confidence, grace, intelligence and strength in the face of tough challenges.
“Ms. Gray’s triumph sets the bar high in empowering more Filipino women to believe in themselves and to fight for their own place in the universe. We salute and admire her victory,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
“Catriona’s crowning glory is placing the Philippines in the world map again for its beauty and elegance that matches the world renowned attraction of the many scenic and mesmerizing islands in our country,” Panelo added.
Gray is set to fly to New York on Thursday night after her meeting with Duterte.
Gray is now the fourth Filipina to bag the Miss Universe crown after Pia Wurtzbach won the crown in 2015, Margie Moran in 1973, and Gloria Diaz in 1969. /je