KCFI confers “Ambassador for Knowledge” title to Catriona Gray
BY MICHAEL DAVID RAMOS | February 27, 2019
“I am reminded of why I have this opportunity. It’s just not for myself, it’s for my country.” – Miss Universe 2019 Catriona Gray
Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) recently bestowed the distinguished title of “Ambassador for Knowledge” to reigning Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray during her guesting in ABS-CBN’s popular morning talk show Magandang Buhay.
The award was personally handed to her by KCFI President and head of the education arm of ABS-CBN Integrated Public Service, Rina Lopez Bautista, for Gray’s “exceptional dedication in advocating for inclusive quality education in the service of Filipino children.” The certificate was signed by Bautista and KCFI Vice Chairman and ABS-CBN Chairman Emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III.
WATCH: Catriona Gray receives “Ambassador for Knowledge” title
(Video courtesy of Magandang Buhay on youTube)
Since 2016, the 25-year old Filipino-Australian beauty queen has been volunteering as a teacher assistant to the students of Young Focus PH, a non-profit organization that supports the holistic development of underprivileged children in Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila through education.
“Working with Young Focus was the very reason why I joined the pageantry in the first place,” said Gray during her interview in Magandang Buhay. “I just could not do nothing about it when I saw how they were living. And I just knew that it was something I wanted to help in and to know that I’ve been able to bring something into their lives… it makes everything worth it.”
Ambassador for Knowledge. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray gleefully accepts her new title from Knowledge Channel Foundation President and Executive Director Rina Lopez Bautista during a taping of Magandang Buhay last February 22. (Photo by Azrael Gonzales)
In the Official Letter of Conferment received by Gray, KCFI hopes that with her role as “Ambassador for Knowledge”, she will be able to raise awareness of the global learning crisis affecting middle and low income countries, especially the Philippines, and in turn, encourage local and global collaborative solutions between government, businesses, and citizenry by inviting them to become stewards and co-creators of transformative learning.
Gray is the fourth Filipino to be crowned as Miss Universe with Gloria Diaz as the first Filipino title holder in 1969 followed by Margarita “Margie” Moran in 1973, and Pia Wurtzbach in 2015.