Tweet ni Catriona, “Friends! Let’s send prayers up for our very own Ms Philippines #RabiyaMateo tonight as she prepares for the Closed Door Interview and National Costume show for @MissUniverse. Happening in the next 24hrs!! #AribaRabiya.”
Kaninang umaga ay nakatutok na si Catriona sa panonood ng nasabing segment ng pageant, “Watching one of my favorite aspects of the show, because it showcases diverse and rich cultures. So many beautifully detailed National Costumes @MissUniverse.”
Dahil naglalakihan ang mga costume ng mga kandidata ay nagtataka siya kung paano nila ito nabitbit, “Will always wonder…how did they fit these huge, larger than life costumes in their luggage?!”
Binalikan ng tanong si Catriona ng netizen na si @Edrickins, “How did you fit yours?” Na sinagot naman kaagad ito ng dalaga ng, “I shipped my parol! Haha.”
Nagbalik-tanaw pa ang beauty queen at girlfriend ni Sam Milby na nu’ng 68th Miss Universe ay ang Pilipinas ang nagwagi sa National Costume competition (Gazini Ganados) sa suot nitong Philippine eagle-inspired ensemble. Ikalawa siya kay Charlene Gonzales noong 1994.
Tweet ni Catriona, “Head over to https://missuniverse.com/vote to vote for your favorite National Costume! Our queen Gazini from the Philippines took the title last year!”
Pagkatapos mapanood ang pagrampa ng 74 candidates ay nag-tweet na si Catriona ng kanyang top six, “Indonesia, Nepal, Peru, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam were my Top 6 @missuniverse National Costumes. Who were yours?”
Kaagad nag-trending si Catriona sa tweet niyang ito kaya kaliwa’t kanan na ang pamba-bash sa dalaga dahil hindi man lang niya binanggit ang pangalan ni Rabiya bilang pagsuporta sa kandidata ng Pilipinas.
May mga nagtanggol din naman sa dating Miss Universe tulad nina @chanelthehuman, “There’s nothing wrong with Catriona’s tweet y’all trippin’ at @kriti1ko, ‘Why give Catriona hate comments? Bawal na ba siyang magbigay appreciation sa iba? She never said anything bad about Rabiya’s NatCos. Appreciating one’s work does not mean depreciating another’s.”
Ang katwiran naman ni @LexLim12, “I have nothing against Catriona. Pero dapat sinarili mo nalang just imagine kung ikaw nasa posisyon ni Rabiya at galing pa sa kapwa mo Pilipino.”
Pero hindi nagpaapekto si Catriona sa mga bashers niya, “That’s okay (emoji smiling face) were all entitled to our own opinions.”
Sabi pa ni Cat, “My best in National Costume picks are my favorite National Costumes, not based on the candidates performance. I love the celebration of culture and a country’s expression of identity which is why its one of my favorite segments! @MissUniverse.”
May katwiran naman ang dalaga bilang ambassadress ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Anyway, ilang gabi na lang at grand coronation na ng Miss Universe 2020 sa Mayo 16, 2021 (Mayo 17 sa Pilipinas) na gaganapin sa Seminole Hard Rock & Casino sa Hollywood, Florida USA.