**Former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz (center) and daughters Isabelle (right) and Ava (Images courtesy of Facebook)**

Michelle Dee delivered an "amazing" performance at the just-concluded Miss Universe pageant, but winning the title "is fate. It's a matter of destiny." Former beauty queen-turned-actress Gloria Diaz expressed this - the first beauty from the Philippines to be crowned Miss Universe in 1969.

"In the end, everybody really deserves to win. I always feel it's fate. F-A-T.E," she said, spelling out the letters. "Hindi naman ako ang pinakamaganda during my time, di ba? Ang daming magaganda, ang daming matatangkad at mas malaking boobs. But at the end of the day, it's really swertihan."

(I was not the most beautiful during my time, right? There were so many more beautiful women; they were taller than me and had bigger boobs. But at the end of the day, it's really about luck).

Gloria clarified what she said before the finals of the recent Miss Universe that Michelle had a strong chance of winning. "This is to quote-unquote myself. Why does Michelle have a good chance of winning? It's like you and I and everyone. If we bought a ticket in the lotto, we had a good chance of winning...1 in 10 million, 1 in 2 million, but we bought a ticket. And since Michelle was in that contest, she had a good chance of winning."

Screenshot 2023-11-26 at 1.36.16 PM.png — **Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz and her court**

"Tayong mga Pilipino, medyo sanay na tayo laging nananalo, na all of a sudden, we all feel naku dinaya, Lutong Macau. You can move mountains, declare this and declare that. Pero at the end of the day, it's destiny," Gloria stressed.

(Filipinos are so used to winning that when we lose, we feel we were cheated of victory. We can declare all we want, but at the end of the day, it's destiny.)

Gloria was interviewed in Okada Manila after the historic signing between Mentorque Productions and Warner Bros. for the theatrical distribution of the Metro Manila Film Festival entry "Mallari." She's a member of the cast as Doña Facunda.

Gloria, who remains beautiful in her 70s, gave Michelle the advice that she could always join the pageant again (note: under Miss Universe rules, contestants cannot join the competition a second time).

"Next year, pwede naman siya sumali uli, hindi ba? She's beautiful in and out. She looked confident. She had a beautiful gown. She had good answers and stuff. Pero iba naman ang type ng judges for this year," she remarked.

The irrepressible former Miss Universe stated, "On a scale of 1 to 10, Melanie Marquez is a 10, and Michelle is an 8." She was a judge when Melanie was proclaimed Bb. Pilipinas International 1979. Gloria recalled that she "pushed" for Melanie to win, even though the latter was criticized for not speaking good English.

"I pushed for her (to win) because this is not an IQ contest or a search for the best in English. For me, all contestants should be able to speak in their language. Ang daming interpreter dyan," Gloria pointed out.

The veteran actress has two lovely daughters in the celebrity spotlight - Isabelle and Ava. But they never pursued pageantry like their legendary mom. Gloria believes that this is all for the best. "I was relieved when they decided not to join any pageant. I will be the most stressed pag natalo," she said.