MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray said she’s happy to spend Father’s Day with her dad in Australia.
In her recent virtual media conference for her single "R.Y.F," Catriona said it doesn’t feel like there's a pandemic in Australia.
“To be honest, it doesn’t feel like pandemic life here. Sobrang swerte nila sa Australia, it’s like back to normal, I mean, walang naka-mask… It’s back to normal here. They’re very strict on their border restrictions but this has been so wonderful to spend time with my family and I’m very close to my parents being an only child,” Catriona told Philstar.com during the conference.
Catriona said that she’s happy to be with her father because he’s getting older so she fears that something might happen to him and she wasn’t able to spend time with him.
“I’m so used to seeing them at least once a year and my dad, he’s quite an older dad, so ang fear na nasa isip ko parati since last year is what if something happens and I wasn’t able to spend time with him and parang the thought would haunt me? I was so happy that I was given the opportunity by the Lord to finally see them and it was such an emotional reunion that it has been wonderful spending time with them,” she said.
The Filipino-Australian singer-beauty queen also opened up on how the pandemic reminded her that family is the most important thing.
“The pandemic has reminded us that family is one of the most valuable things and it just broke my heart knowing that I couldn’t be with them at such a scary time. My dad even opened up to me when I finally came home that he had this fear that he might never see me again because of the pandemic,” she said.
Catriona said that they would cry together even at video calls while she was still in the Philippines without her parents.
“Your heart belongs to your family and friends. It was an answered prayer talaga,” she said.
“I can only hope and pray that their families would be the same reality as my family soon to be reunited again because I just know, as someone who’s experienced it, and this pandemic has really separated so many from their families and loved ones so my heart really goes out to them."
She said that being a recording artist during the pandemic also offered a fair share of challenges.
“We lost the opportunity to do live events, to really connect with people face-to-face. I think there is a certain magic about performing live and really being able to interpret a song for a live listener, which we didn’t have an opportunity to do that,” she said.
“But we’re also thankful that kahit paano, this song is able to enter into the homes of so many people, not just in the Philippines but around the world through digital and our platforms. So that’s still wonderful to be a part of, that we’re still somewhat connecting although we’re not face-to-face."
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