Catriona Gray delivered a powerful speech at the anti-corruption protest on Sunday, November 30 at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.
In her address, the former Miss Universe emphasized how corruption has deeply affected the everyday lives of Filipinos.
"Today we stand here us Filipinos who are tired. Tired of watching corruption steals food from our tables, steals medicines from our hospitals, classrooms from our children, and safety from our communities. We have watched our families flooded again and again with the public funds that were meant to protect them are pocketed. Billions of pesos disappeared without accountability, without justice, without answers," she remarked.
Catriona urged people to continue fighting corruption and to raise their voices to demand accountability.
"What scares me the most is this. Many are starting to forget why we are angry. People have gone silent not because they do not care but they lost the belief that change will ever come and while our nation grows exhausted, our leaders remain silent. Sobrang tahimik, nakakabingi! Bakit tayo pumapayag? Why do we allow this to happen to us again and again? When are we going to wake up? What more do we need? Ilang baha pa? Ilang scandal pa? Ilang nakaw na pondo pa? Before we finally say, tama na!" she stated.
She stressed that corruption in the country has become systemic and must be defeated. "Obviously this is a system built to benefit the corrupt few and every time we stay quiet, corruption wins. And when corruption wins, 'yung mga nakaupo lang ang nananalo. Sila lang ang nabubusog, sila ang nakakauwi sa mga mansion sa America. Sila ang nakakabili ng designer bags habang ang taong bayan lumulubog sa baha, sa utang, at sa kahirapan."
Catriona called for urgent action from government agencies and institutions. "That's why today we demand action! To the ombudsman, file the cases now! To the senators, suspend the senators implicated. And to the congtress, pass the anti-political dynasty bill because power should not be inherited, it should be earned through service of the people."
Catriona closed her speech by leading a prayer as the nation continues its fight against corruption.
The anti-corruption rallies held on November 30 were led by the Trillion Peso March and Baha sa Luneta, backed by 86 dioceses across the country.
Back in early November, Catriona also took to social media to call for improved governance and transparency following the series of calamities that recently struck the Philippines.
"So many homes and lives devastated by the recent typhoons, earthquakes, and floods sa ating bansa. The storms will always come but we can be better prepared, systems put into place to mediate or reduce the [effects]," she said in an Instagram post.
The Miss Universe 2018 stressed that Filipinos deserve better leadership and urged the government to prioritize the welfare of the people.
"How I pray that our public funds will be used with transparency and intention to protect the livelihood, safety, and essential human needs of the Filipino people. How I pray that we would hold our government accountable to how they exploit the environment to the consequence of increased risk for communities. How I pray we won't just be glorified for being resilient when our nation is merely surviving. We deserve so much better," the beauty queen remarked.
She also encouraged fellow Filipinos to continue seeking accountability from the country's leaders. "I pray we'll never settle in a place of 'ganun talaga eh,' wag tayo masanay. Who we put in leadership need to be held accountable to the responsibility of protecting and uplifting the lives of the nation," she stressed.