Catriona Gray

"I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty in it, to look for the beauty in the faces of the children, and to 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 also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their face."

"I think first of all, it takes bravery. To be a Miss World is to carry a burning torch. It is like action carried out by one to illuminate the lives of many. And I would dedicate my whole self, my love for the arts, and my voice to trying to uplift, empower, and educate people. And it would be my greatest honor and duty to hold this torch high enough so that all the world could feel and see its light."

"I have to try it first i have to try my vision first sometimes it works out sometimes it doesn't but i'd rather stay true to my vision and then explore others and learn that way than never listening to what i want"

"I think it would be really sad if we were to reach that point one because i feel like when you reach a certain age you will have an appreciation for what tagalog is the poetry of it the history of it how it's represented in our culture whereas if you were to take that out who else will pioneer our language for the next generation."

"if i'm rewarded for the effort and my performance then i'll be happy"

"Creativity, craftsmanship, intricate detail and vibrant colour. 🇵🇭 The Bagobo Tagabawa of Mindanao create intricate traditional garments woven from abaca and adorned with vibrant beadwork called pangulabe. Women wear beaded blouses (umpak ka bayi) and tubular skirts (sun’od), while men wear jackets (umpak ka mama), trousers (saro-ar), and headcloths (tangkulo). Each piece, taking up to two months to complete, features patterns inspired by dreams, nature, and epic tales — crocodiles, birds, flowers, and Mt. Apo — symbolizing the tribe’s deep connection to spirit (Manaman), people (Manobo), and land (Tana)."

"Sana she remembers why she’s there (I hope she remembers why she's there), what her core is, whether that be to go after a dream or to support her community or to make her family proud, just hold on to that."

"Celebrating the strength of the global cleft community and raising awareness for every child still waiting for care and those on their cleft journey."

"Loved the experience of learning about the art of Turkish Rug making. We were able to experience how the raw materials such as silk is spun, dyed and woven on these looms."

"I’m very, very happy because I’m such a colorful person!"

"I was thinking, what were really the pieces that add value to me, that I really use? That I feel like have a purpose, hindi lang s’ya pretty pero functional din s’ya (not just pretty but also functional). That’s how I thought of it."

"(My house is) very colorful! My taste is bold and eclectic. So I have a lot of different colors and mostly locally produced and sourced furniture."

"The Mayon is very significant to me. And even to my mother, so to have a piece that reflects my vibrancy and the curves, the shape of the lava there, is really special to me as well,"

"Kaya may bookshelf ako kasi (The reason why I have a bookshelf is) I love bookshelves, you can make it even for even your dining ware… Or you can make it your books, your plants, you can make it anything you really want. Each piece sana can be seen in anyone’s home, no matter what work they have or what their aesthetic is. I feel like the pieces can find a place there."

"It seems fitting to celebrate and reflect on my fifth year anniversary as I stand now on the cusp of a whole new chapter,""

"I have creative collaborations with different brands in the next coming months. It has really allowed me as a creative to feel very fulfilled…"

"Dream job would be anything allows you to be creative."

"Proof that you should never ever give up on your dreams!"

"I have a newfound tension when I step outside, a new anxiousness with my surroundings and belongings."

"Things are just things and things can be replaced. Family and their safety is the most important thing."

"I think it's wonderful."

"Let the full weight of justice fall on those who betrayed this nation and stole from its people, not for revenge, but for righteousness. Raise up leaders, Lord, with integrity, courage, and conviction."

"Strengthen every Filipino who longs for justice. Restore truth, accountability, and justice."

"We are the generation who will not let corruption win,"

"Let's uplift our girls and tell them how they impacted us, made us proud - and when they pursue their respective journeys lets support them."

"I think that if you are not comfortable, it really shows and I really believe that your energy speaks the loudest than any great outfit does. So if my energy is off because I'm uncomfortable, because I'm fidgeting, I'd rather be comfortable and allow my energy to speak the loudest."

"Good times made even better with good company."

"Always a proud Filipina 💜 Until next time, New York!"

"As a creative, it’s not every day your work gets recognized… and to be able to represent our country on this kind of global stage is really, really special."

"We’re both storytellers. We feed off each other’s creative energies."

"Maybe our approach wasn’t out-of-the-box enough"

"Let’s raise awareness together and celebrate the strength of cleft-affected individuals and their families around the world."

"I always say like to remember why you went on that journey in the first place. And it could be any journey that resonates with you — either it’s opening new doors and opportunities for yourself, or elevating your community, for the cause, or for the country."

"Philippines, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. This journey has been made even more meaningful because every single step of the way I felt each and every one of you right there with me."

"The first one was conquering myself. Like every single person I had to overcome the fear that comes from within. But I conquered my fear with faith. And faith in myself. Because I knew that I was and I’m not perfect. But I knew I’m determined."

"The second was conquering others. There were so many times that people told me that I would fail.But I conquered others. I surrounded myself with people who uplifted me, supported me, and mentored me."

"The third and most important is conquering for a purpose. What was the point of all this? Who was I doing this for?"

"Inside each and every one of us is a king or queen with the ability to conquer the universe, whatever that may be for you. But we must first conquer ourselves, conquer what others perceive of us and finally conquer with a purpose, to conquer our dreams."

"From World to Universe and beyond. A friendship that's spanned 8 years and counting!"

"When I was younger, I would only feel fulfilled when I saw my life through the lens of career, but this year revealed so plainly to me that life's moments are best celebrated with those you love"

"I've achieved milestones that feel like have been years in the making, but that's not what I'm most thankful for. This year, I've finally built up the courage to reach out and lean on others when the going got tough"

"Faith is so foundational I can’t imagine being with a partner that also doesn’t support me and walk in faith with me on my same journey. So, it’s pretty much non-negotiable for me."

"I’ve been in a relationship with someone that didn’t really meet me at the same level of my faith and it was very, very difficult."

"We praise women when they’re career-driven, but then there’s also people who are like, ‘Oh, you do not have time for your family.’ And then you see women who are all about their family and they say like, ‘Oh, sayang (what a waste) you gave up your career, I don’t think I’ve ever felt sexism so strongly in my personal experience than I do in this topic."

"Fashion plays a really wonderful role in allowing women to feel empowered, because it allows an avenue for self-expression."

"It showcases either how we’re feeling and how we see ourselves, to celebrate what being a woman is, which is accessing different facets of ourselves, whatever the roles we feel or aspire to be. Fashion can really be an avenue where we can amplify and express that."

"A full circle moment. The Tropical Essentials campaign was my first welcome to the H&M family back in 2022. Four years later, I'm so honored to be chosen as the face of the Tropical Essentials collection for 2026."

"The storms will always come but we can be better prepared, systems put into place to mediate or reduce the affects. How I pray that our public funds will be used with transparency and intention to protect the livelihood, safety and essential human needs of the Filipino people."

"How I pray that we would hold our government accountable to how they exploit the environment to the consequence of increased risk for communities. How I pray we won’t just be glorified for being resilient when our nation is merely surviving."

"We deserve so much better."