The 27-year-old eco-friendly fashion designer, model, and sewing instructor Filipino-American R’BONNEY GABRIEL, who once conquered the Miss USA stage, and Saturday night, January 14, she bested 84 other women from all over the globe when she got crowned as the new Miss Universe.
Her win is historic as she is the first Filipino-American to win the Miss USA and the Miss Universe crown.
Despite the Filipinos’ heartbrokenness due to the country’s representative, Celeste Cortesi’s failure to make it to the Top 16 semi-finalists, the Filipino pageant fans and the communities in the US–shifted their focus and cheers to Gabriel.
Her response to the question had the nod from the board of judges–If you win Miss Universe, how would you work to demonstrate this as an empowering and progressive organization?
“I would use it to be a transformational leader. As a very passionate designer, who’ve been sewing for 13 years, I use fashion as a force for good. In my industry, I’m cutting down on pollution through recyclable materials when I make my clothing. I teach sewing classes to women that have survived from human trafficking and domestic violence, and I say that because it is so important to invest in others, invest in community, and use your unique talent to make a difference. We all have something special, and when we plant those seeds to other people in our life, we transform them and use that as a vehicle for change,” she said with ease and didn’t even flinch even when the chime rang that signaled her time’s up.
Gabriel’s advocacy brought her to the final three finalists and her commitment made her clinch the most coveted Mouawad crown of the 71st edition of Miss Universe.
Her runners-up are AMANDA DUDAMEL of Venezuela, first and ANDREÍNA MARTÍNEZ of the Dominican Republic, second.
The rest of the five semi-finalists were: Puerto Rico and Curacao.
In the earlier round, the first Top 15 cut plus the winner of fan votes were: Haiti, Australia, Laos, South Africa, Portugal, Canada, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, India, Spain, and Colombia.
During the Top Five question and answer portion, Gabriel [still] wowed the audience and the judges alike. She got asked: Miss Universe recently made an inclusive change, allowing mothers and married women to compete next year. What’s another change you’d like to see, and why?
She smiled and replied, “For me, I would like to see an age increase. Because I am 28 years old. And that is the oldest age to compete and I think it’s a beautiful thing.
“My favorite quote is: “If not now, then when?”
“Because as a woman, I believe age does not define us. It’s not tomorrow, it’s not yesterday, but it’s now. The time is now that you can go after what you want.”
R’Bonney Gabriel was born on 20th March 1994 in San Antonio, Texas, to Filipino Ramon Bonifacio ‘R’Bon’ Gabriel and American Dana Walker.
Ramon and Dana currently live in Missouri City.
According to R’Bonney, her dad moved to America from the Philippines on a college scholarship with about $20 in his pocket. The senior Gabriel wanted to pave a new life for himself. He met Walker in Texas, who is a country woman from Beaumont.
At the press conference, the newly crowned Miss Universe acknowledged her Filipino supporters, “Mabuhay, Philippines. Mabuhay Filipino fans. Maraming, maraming salamat sa lahat ng tulong ninyo.
“The support is everything. I feel it my heart. I heard it in the room. It was an amazing energy. The Filipino blood is so strong. We are hardworking, we’re fun and we’re determined, and I’m so proud to be half-Filipina.”
The latest edition of the now-owned prestigious beauty pageant by a Thai transwoman business tycoon, Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip with Amy Emmerich as chief executive officer (CEO), and Paula Shugart as president’
Gabriel fit the new transformational leader mold set by the organization and was crowned at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
The 72nd edition of Miss Universe will be in El Salvador in December this year. The last time the country hosted the beauty pageant (24th edition) was in 1975 at National Gymnasium, San Salvador, El Salvador. Finland won the title. It was Rose Marie Brosas, who represented the Philippines and placed fourth runner-up.
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