Gazini Ganados is at SM Seaside City for her meet and greet event on August 24. | Enrique Bejar
CEBU CITY, Philippines – “Why not?”
This was the reaction of Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Christiana Ganados on the possibility for the Philippines as the host country in Miss Universe 2019.
Ganados answered questions to Cebu media and bloggers during a meet and greet event held at SM Seaside City Cebu on August 24, Saturday.
The meet and greet were one of her homecoming activities of Ganados two months after winning the grandest crown in the country.
“Bisa’g asa na lugar, basta laban lang,” she said where she received a loud cheer from the audience.
(Anywhere will do. We will fight.)
She considered this as an advantage if the Philippines would host this year.
She said that this would be beneficial for her friends, supporters, and family who would no longer travel far away from the country.
Read more: Ganados: Pressure on to win back-to-back Miss Universe crowns for PH
“I would love to have (Miss Universe 2019) here in the Philippines. Why? Why not? We have a lot of beaches here. We have beaches here in Cebu. We have mountains here in Cebu which is an hour away. We (Filipinos) also have the warmest hospitality,” she said.
She only cited the challenge on how she could properly represent the country in the international stage if the Philippines would host Miss Universe 2019.
The Philippines hosted Miss Universe thrice. It happened in 1974, 1994, and in 2016.
So far, the organizers behind Miss Universe Organization has no final announcement yet for the venue.
Homecoming, back-to-back crown
The Philippines hopes for a back-to-back crown this year after Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray who was crowned in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Philippines has four Miss Universe winners these are Gray, Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margie Moran (1973), and Gloria Diaz (1969).
Ganados also admitted that Miss Universe Philippines and Kagandahang Flores (KF) camp would work together for Gazini in Miss Universe 2019.
“It is a great honor with two of the most respected camps in the Philippines (working together) and I appreciate (it),” she said.
During her Binibining Pilipinas 2019 stint, Ganados was trained by KF Cebu under the wing of Jonas Borces.
Can she give the Philippines a back-to-back crown this year?
“I cannot promise the crown right now, but all I can promise is I will best represent the Philippines in the most authentic way that I can. And I will do my very best not just to get a back-to-back (crowns) but to best represent the whole nation as one,” she said.
On June 9, 2019, Ganados made history after she won the Miss Universe Philippines 2019 crown after she represented Talisay City.
Read more: Miss Universe PH Ganados coming home to Cebu for Pasigarbo sa Sugbo
Two months after her victory, Ganados finally have her homecoming in Cebu.
On Saturday, August 24, Ganados visited Thrice Admirable Montessori, her alma matter, during high school in Talisay City.
On August 25, Sunday, she will be on board the Talisay City’s Halad Inasal Festival Float for Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival 2019.
She is expected to wear the Phoenix gown, designed by Master Couturier Cary Santiago.
Read more: Designer shares photos of Gazini Ganados in ‘golden eagle’ gown
She was born on December 26, 1995, in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
Her family moved to Talisay City when she was around five years old for a business opportunity.
Read more: Who were the people behind Gazini Christiana Ganados’ success?
She started modeling at the age of 15 years old when Sven Chua of Origin Model and Artist Management discovered her.
Before joining Binibining Pilipinas 2019, she already joined several competitions.
She earned the titles like Miss Milo Little Olympics 2011, Reyna ng Aliwan 2015 second runner-up, and Miss Cesafi 2016.
Her first pageant was Miss World Philippines in 2014 which was won by Valerie Weigmann.
She also joined Miss Bohol 2017 but she only finished first runner-up./dbs