Catriona Gray appreciates Pia Wurtzbach recently speaking out against individuals who continue to put them against each other years after they both won the Miss Universe crown for the Philippines. Gray stressed that there is “no issue between us as individuals or even between other queens.”

“It’s just really unfortunate that other people are craving issues and comparisons, and kind of putting us at war with each other when, in reality, there’s no such thing,” she stated in an interview.

“And it would be nice for that kind of perceptions or conversations [to stop and just] celebrate each other” she added.

When not in the most visible of ways, Gray claims that all of the beauty queens celebrate, interact, and encourage one another.

“I think it’s just unfortunate that there continues to be that false narrative of, ‘Oh, because she didn’t like this post or because she didn’t speak on this…’

“Or because of whatever reason that’s created, there’s this perception or this story or this narrative that they created that pits us against each other. And it’s completely false,” she added.

“I would encourage them to really ask themselves why they feel like the need to continue fueling negatively positioned commentaries. Because I don’t think that’s what pageantry is about. Pageantry is about celebrating and lifting up each other.” Gray said of people spreading misinformation about them.

Wurtzbach was crowned Miss Universe in 2005, whereas Gray was crowned in 2018. The country has only won four Miss Universe titles thus far, with the other two going to Margie Moran in 1973 and Gloria Diaz in 1969.