Philippines Discredited While Queensland Plan To Prepare A Mayoral Welcome For Catriona In Australia

Photo from ABS-CBN News

Cairns, a city in Queensland, Australia where Catriona Gray grew up  is planning to welcome her with a grand reception should she happen to visit the place during her reign.


Situated in the Far North Queensland, Cairns was the 24-year old Philippine representative’s hometown. She was born to an Australian father, Ian Gray, her mom is a Filipina Normita Magnayon.

City’s pride

The Cairns Post online reported on Tuesday that the mayor of the city, Bob Manning said that the city council usually holds a mayoral reception for “local people who have achieved world championship status.”

“We would like to look at holding a similar event for Catriona if we were made aware of an impending visit to Cairns.” 

Cairn’s success story

The mayor alaso added that the triumph of Miss Universe Catriona is a success story of Cairns. “This is yet another wonderful Cairns success story. We’re all incredibly proud of Catriona; she’ll always be a Cairns girl at heart and we support her all the way.”


Reactions from netizens varied, as shown in the Cairns post.

“She was born and raised in Cairns but didn’t represent Cairns or Australia. Why would Cairns pay for a reception for her? It’s a great achievement that she won this but I still can’t see why the Mayor is putting on a rates paid for reception?” one wrote.

Another said: “She may be a dual citizen, due to her mother being Filipina, but she was born in Cairns. So she’s an Aussie by birth and a Cairns local. She grew up and was educated here. Only lived in the Philippines since 2011. I’d like to see some credit coming back our way thanks very much. If it was someone who made it in Hollywood or something people would be falling over themselves to give them a celebration.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m happy for her and her family and for the Cairns Filipino community,” read another comment. “I do not however believe that Catriona deserves to have a Cairns rates payer funded reception. She chose to represent the Philippines and I’m also OK with that. Let the Philippines give her a reception on her return to the Philippines.”


A bit offensive

What irked the Filipino Netizens however, was when a tabloid from Australia The Courier Mail became aggressive in their headline. They crossed out the Philippines with a red mark and replaced it with Queensland.

Catriona Gray, photo from Google

Filipino netizens are angered and are saying that it’s ok to share the glory, but at least they should have shown more respect by not crossing out the Philippines and just putting the two side by side. After all, Catriona represented the Philippines, and she said she was there in the pageant along with 104 million Filipinos.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com