Fil-Am R’Bonney Gabriel’s path to Miss Universe title wasn’t easy

Pandemonium breaks out inside the arena as Miss Philippines Celeste Cortesi makes a grand entrance. INQUIRER/Elton Lugay

NEW ORLEANS— Sustainable fashion designer R’Bonney Gabriel, 28, made history as the first ever Filipino American to win the 71^st Miss Universe title last weekend in Louisiana, but her journey to the global competition did not come easy.

 “I won Miss USA in October so I had three months to prepare,” she told INQUIRER.net at the press con following the 3-hour-long pageant in NOLA. “It was very challenging, there were ups and downs and times where I doubted myself, but I always felt like I had a purpose and I would always go back to my purpose. Why am I doing this? And I realize that your purpose is something people can’t take away from you. No one can take away a strong foundation or a core that you have. So I’d always go back to that.”

Gabriel’s parents are Remigio Bonzon “R. Bon” Gabriel, who hails from Manila, and mother, Dana Walker of Beaumont, Texas. DION TRINIDAD

The Texas-born Filipina beauty made headlines last October following allegations of a rigged victory after winning the Miss USA contest. Gabriel refuted the allegations, saying she “would never want to enter a competition that was rigged.” She was permitted to compete in the Miss Universe race pending investigations against Miss USA and its director Crystle Stewart.

Despite this, Gabriel remained grateful and steadfast.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be standing here now as Miss Universe. I hope it just shows the world that even if you have negative comments about you or people don’t believe in you, that you just keep going and you show everyone that no matter what, if you stand strong and who you are, you can be victorious,” Gabriel said.

“Her clever and sincere answer during the Q&A catapulted her to the crown,” said Alex Santos, a businessman from New York. “What a fitting tribute to the first Fil-Am Miss Universe!”

Gabriel’s parents are Remigio Bonzon “R. Bon” Gabriel, who hails from Manila, and mother, Dana Walker of Beaumont, Texas. Remigio immigrated to Washington state when he was 25 years old and earned a doctorate in psychology at the University of Southern California.

Gabriel told The Houston Chronicle that her father came to the US on “a college scholarship with about $20 in his pocket. He wanted to pave a new life for himself. He met my mom in Texas, who is a country woman from Beaumont.”

Meanwhile, some Filipino spectators last Saturday walked out from the pageant after learning that their bet, Miss Philippines Celeste Cortesi, failed to reach the Top 16 semifinals. This is the first time in 12 years that the country did not advance in the semifinal round of the Miss U competition. And this news did not sit well with many of the pageant’s diehard fans.

Top 5 Miss U contestant get final instructions from manager Esther Swan. INQUIRER/Elton Lugay

“This is absurd, Celeste was a crowd favorite and her performance was far better compared to some of those called in the top 16,” said Karl de Guzman who flew all the way from Manila to watch the pageant in person.

“No Philippines in Top 16 — who is to blame? To whom it may concern: You had one job!,” L.A. pageant critic Bradford Adkins wrote on his FB wall.

“We don’t know why she [Celeste] was not picked,” said another critic who requested anonymity. “Perhaps the judges were not convinced with her platform. You see, with Miss Universe, you need to have very strong credentials. Beauty and brains are no longer enough in this day and age.”

Jojo Bragais Shoes, official footwear partner of the Miss Universe pageant. INQUIRER/Elton Lugay

Filipinos are front and center at this year’s global event. Apart from contestants Gabriel and Cortesi, other Filipinos who took part in the 71st Miss Universe: Olivia Quido, a popular esthetician from Los Angeles, was among the telecast judges; former Miss Universe Catriona Gray played co-host during the live show; shoemaker Jose Bragais provided shoes to more than 80 contestants; fashion designers Michael Cinco, Oliver Tolentino, Rian Fernandez, Patrick Isorena, Albert Andrada, Felizo Francisco, to name a few; and dozens of pageant coaches who taught candidates from other countries.

This edition of the Miss Universe pageant ushers a new era in ownership. IMG sold the organization for $20 million to JKN, a global media company based in Thailand. Its transwoman CEO Anne Jakrajutatip said she wanted to use the pageant as a platform to inspire women and the LGBTQ community.