MANILA, Philippines — Former Miss Universe Catriona Gray continues to support the nonprofit that inspired her to enter pageantry and see it as a platform to help others.
Catriona is set to hold her fund-raising event titled “Catriona Gay’s Legacy Ball” for the benefit of the kids at her long-time charity, Young Focus, on Nov. 22 at the City of Dreams Manila Ballroom in Paranaque City.
“Young Focus has changed my life in such an incredible way. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t crossed paths with this organization. Maybe people don’t know this, but meeting Young Focus, seeing their work and being on the ground with them opened my eyes to the potential of pageantry as a platform to help more. If not for Young Focus, I might not have competed in pageants. I’m serious — I don’t think I would have,” she told The STAR.
“As a casual volunteer, I’m one person making a difference, but I wondered how I could help more. I saw how pageantry could amplify a message and provide a platform for women to stand for what they believe in. Without Young Focus, I wouldn’t be here, doing what I love and growing as a person. Working with them, learning from them, and being inspired by them has changed my life profoundly.”
Among the memorable experiences she had with Young Focus kids, including her time with them recently at DreamPlay, what perhaps would stand out the most was her first time working with the nonprofit at their headquarters in Smokey Mountain, Tondo.
“It was my first time to walk through the area and it really just impacted me so deeply just because, of course, the visual aspect of a lot of temporary houses. It’s quite overwhelming… in terms of how these families are living their day-to-day lives. It really gave me a lot of context. One, was to see the communities these children and their families come from and the challenges that they face in pursuit of education,” Catriona said.
“Also, it allowed me to see my own privilege. In a way, to send care to a community, you have to remove yourself from yourself because you can always see it in the lens of, I didn’t have a hard time growing up, why is there a need to help other people?… But we really have to remove that lens of self, we need to do something about it.”
Over the years, she said “every interaction is meaningful, usually at their center in Tondo or along the highway where they offer extra programs like out-of-school programs and career programs.”
“Just seeing the children and knowing the harsh reality of their community, compared to maybe our own upbringing, yet they have so much joy, curiosity and kindness — they’re some of the sweetest kids I’ve ever met. It makes me want to dedicate part of myself to help these children realize their potential,” she further said.
“Since 2016, my work with Young Focus has been an anchor for me. It reminds me why I have this platform. It’s not just to elevate myself, it’s to elevate this community’s work alongside my own. That’s why the idea of the Legacy Gala came to fruition, and I hope there will be many more efforts and goals to give back to the community in the future.”
This brainchild of Catriona came with the desire to do something bigger for the kids.
“During the pandemic, we were able to mount projects to give back to Young Focus through feeding programs back in 2020. I felt that, even with child sponsorships where you can sponsor a child’s education, there was an opportunity to do something bigger. I envisioned something substantial to bridge the gap of awareness and, ultimately, to have more people, brands and companies discover that there continues to be a need.
“This need exists in places like Tondo, Manila, which is so close to (the rest of) Metro Manila. It’s not far-flung, yet there’s an urgent need that can be addressed through education. It’s not just about having a big impact for a short period.”
She particularly noted that after winning Miss Universe in 2018, where the NGO was also thrust into the spotlight at the Q&A portion, a lot of support came in but that dwindled eventually.
“When Miss Universe happened, the outpouring of support was incredible, and Young Focus received a lot of attention. However, as the years passed, that attention began to wane. We want to give Young Focus a boost again and show that the need still exists. Anyone can help, you don’t need a big platform or to be a beauty queen to make a difference,” she said.
“The Legacy Gala is a culmination of everything I’m passionate about. At its core, this event is about giving back to the community.”
During the presscon, Catriona was joined by Ram Banzuela, a former student beneficiary and now program manager at the NGO. He shared, “Young Focus has been working in the Smokey Mountain, Tondo community since the 1990s. But it officially started in 2008. It’s been 16 years now with Young Focus, and we focus on supporting the education of kids in Smokey Mountain, Tondo. Beyond Tondo, we’ve also extended sponsorships to those who have been relocated to communities in Naic, Cavite and Bulacan. Right now, we have a building center in Naic as well.
The beauty queen spends time with the kids of Young Focus at City of Dreams’ DreamPlay.
“Speaking from my experience with Young Focus, I’ve also been with them for 16 years — eight years as a student and nine years as a staff member. I was born and raised in Smokey Mountain. The impact Young Focus has had on me has been big. I couldn’t imagine becoming who I am today without their help. I believe there may have been other opportunities for me, but I happened to come across Young Focus, and they helped me reach my potential and see what was possible. And that’s what Young Focus is about — helping kids see that they can achieve something, that they have potential.
“Growing up, I had big dreams, as we all do as kids, but as we get older, especially in challenging communities, those dreams start to fade. Reality sets in, and survival — getting food on the table — takes priority over dreams. But after meeting Young Focus, they supported me through my studies, allowing me to dream again and see my potential. After graduating and working, I continued volunteering with Young Focus, and after a year, I got the opportunity to join their staff. Since then, I’ve been here supporting Young Focus.”
With Young Focus as the main beneficiary of the Legacy Ball, more people like Ram are expected to benefit as proceeds will go towards school sponsorships, improvement of learning facilities and buildings, and extracurricular programs like job preparation courses and IT training.
“There are also programs dedicated to students who have dropped out, and much more. Young Focus takes a comprehensive approach to education, which is why I believe in their work so deeply,” Catriona stressed.
Meanwhile, the beauty queen and host confirmed that she’s attending the Miss Universe pageant this November in Mexico.
“I’m there to support our own Chelsea (Manalo) but also to serve as a commentator. I’m very grateful for the trust of the Miss Universe organization for inviting me back for the third year in a row,” she said during the presscon.
“It’s my third year. It’s a very different experience each time, from watching as an audience member at home in past years, to being a candidate, to giving my farewell and passing over my title, and now being behind the scenes as a commentator. It’s a unique experience.”
She also expressed high hopes for the Philippines’ representative to the international pageant.
“I have really high hopes for Chelsea; I believe she’ll make us proud,” Catriona said.
“I’m really excited about her! I think she brings a fresh breath of air to the competition. I know she’s had ample time to prepare, so I’m excited, just like every other Filipino, to see how she will make us proud every single day, from day one to coronation.”
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