A look at Gazini Ganados’ Miss Universe Philippines 2019 journey
Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados is set to crown her successor this Sunday, October 25.
Even under a new franchise, Binibining Pilipinas Charities gave her the green light to be present at the pageant, which will be held at the Baguio Country Club.
Ganados—who took home the best national costume award at the Miss Universe 2019 pageant—may have failed to make it to the top 10, but she has remained to be a firm advocate for others.
First and foremost, her heart has always been for elderly care. “The world is aging, and my grandparents raised me, and I’ve worked in an organization that was supporting elderly care,” she declared before joining the top 20 of the competition. “I learned then, I realized that there’s this stigma between ageism, poverty, exclusivity, and invisibility. It is rightful for us that they are the ones who paved the way for us and we should reciprocate that love and no one should be left behind.”
She continues to raise awareness of the struggles that the elderly face each day, having served as goodwill ambassador of the Confederation of Older Persons Associations of the Philippines as well as the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE)—her chosen beneficiary at the BayaniRun 2019.
Likewise, Ganados bagged the ASEAN Youth Leadership Award and ASEAN Youth Icon Award both in 2019. “It’s only four months since winning Miss Universe Philippines and this title has already blessed me with a tremendous platform to push for causes that I care about and to do the actual work in helping the sectors of our society that need attention and care,” she wrote in a photo caption.
Apart from this, she’s been an LGBTQIA+ ally, calling the queer community “one of the most accepting and embracing communities” in an Instagram post.
The beauty queen has also used her voice to spark inspiration in others by opening up about life’s challenges and “how I overcame them by developing a winning mindset.” For her, success involves “going outside the box, taking risks, and breaking the norm.”
Ganados worked with Smile Train Philippines to bring joy to kids with cleft lip and cleft palate and draw big smiles on their faces. “I realized that they should have the amazing ability to confidently smile as there’s nothing more satisfying that seeing a happy and smiling child,” she said.
Like the other binibinis, she’s been focused not only on spreading light to those with HIV/AIDS via LoveYourself, Inc., but also ending the stigma that goes with it. “Get tested and be informed about your status! Ignorance and prejudice are fueling the spread of a preventable disease,” exclaimed Ganados.
Ganados helped Best Buddies, a non-profit organization for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mark their 30th year by bonding with their kids over pizza. “I have always believed in your mission of creating meaningful connections for people with IDD to gain self-confidence and self-esteem,” she wrote in an IG caption.
She also condemned the ABS-CBN shutdown, which affected over 11,000 employees at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And like a true queen, in one of her posts, she has done her part in reminding everyone from time to time to take responsibility amid the coronavirus outbreak and wear a mask.
Article thumbnails taken from Gazini Ganados' Instagram account
