Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray amplified public calls for accountability and transparency among government officials, after a series of calamities struck the nation.
In a social media post on Tuesday, November 11, the pageant queen emphasized the great aftermath of the recent calamities, stating, “the storms will always come, but we can be better prepared, systems put into place to mediate or reduce the effects.”
Catriona said she prays that public funds will be used transparently and intentionally so that the Filipino people’s livelihood, safety, and essential human needs will be protected. She also asked that the government be held accountable.
“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,” she wrote.
“I pray we'll never settle in a place of "ganun talaga eh", wag tayo masanay. Who we put in leadership need to be held accountable to the responsibility of protecting and uplifting the lives of the nation,” she added.
For now, Catriona requested a spotlight on communities in need of aid, adding that several communities are still cut off from fresh drinking water, submerged under water, or in need of basic necessities.
Before being crowned Miss Universe in 2018, Catriona had been using her platform to help fellow Filipinos, lending her voice to numerous causes. Last September, the former Miss Universe joined the “Trillion Peso March” along EDSA, protesting alongside Filipinos and several celebrities to demand accountability for the anomalous flood control projects.
