Gloria Diaz, the first Filipina to win the highly coveted Miss Universe title, shares her thoughts on aging and beauty. ‘I see myself in the mirror. I have lots of light. So, I can see everything. If you have a good relationship with your family or someone you care about, I think you are the last of your concerns,’ she says. ‘You don’t think of youth; you have to be beautiful because you are young, or you need to be beautiful all the time. You’re just gonna have to accept it, and okay lang.’
Screengrab from ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda’ and file photo.

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Gloria Diaz successfully placed the Philippines on the map of global beauty pageants when she took home the highly coveted Miss Universe 1969 title in Miami Beach, Florida. She is a national pride as the first Filipina to achieve this remarkable feat on July 19, 1969. Who could forget her winning answer to pageant host Bob Barker’s final question, “In the next day or so, a man will land on the moon. If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?”

Unperturbed, the then 18-year-old Gloria replied, “Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been in the moon for so long, I think when he comes over, he wants to change, I guess.” Her simple yet witty answer won the hearts of the judges and the viewers who were watching the prestigious event.

The pageant took place a day before the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing of two American astronauts. This led former US President Richard Nixon to remark, “The United States conquered the moon, but the Philippines conquered the universe,” during his state visit to the country on July 26, 1969.

It was nice seeing Gloria again during our conversation on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.” I love her candidness and no-nonsense attitude. I asked her if she had an inkling that she was going to win the crown 56 years ago. “Definitely not, but I didn’t think I was gonna lose. I mean, you don’t go into a contest and say, ‘Ay naku, matatalo ako.’ Di naman ganoon ang attitude noon,” she said.

As a contestant, Gloria experienced many firsts at that time: it was her first time away from home, her first trip to the US, and her first time wearing heels aside from the Ms. Philippines pageant. “I think first time din nag-deodorant kasi they gave us deodorants and stuff like that,” she added.

How would Gloria answer that same question when she is asked today? “Depende on how he looks. Siyempre, if he looks naman not so great. ‘Sige, you wanna eat? Go na or something.’ But depende kung guwapo, and I’ve met a lot of good-looking ones there.”

According to Gloria, she met famous Hollywood stars, including Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson and Clint Eastwood, when she was younger.

The stars have always aligned in Gloria’s favor. She rose to fame when she entered showbiz several years after her reign as Miss Universe. She has remained an award-winning and sought-after actress since her debut film, “Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa.” The former beauty queen is now regularly seen in the Kapuso primetime series “Beauty Empire,” where she plays Clara, the matriarch.

Gloria said showbiz has been good to her. “How many 74-year-olds, I mean 47-year-olds, are still working and enjoying all the privileges and getting good money? I’m very blessed.”

Gloria still looks gorgeous at 74. She embraces aging and beauty.

She shared, “I see myself in the mirror. I have lots of light. So, I can see everything. If you have a good relationship with your family or someone you care about, I think you are the last of your concerns. You don’t think of youth; you have to be beautiful because you are young, or you need to be beautiful all the time. You’re just gonna have to accept it, and okay lang.” Her life experience and wisdom that come with age make her beautiful inside and out.

She also talked about her 28-year romance with banker Michael de Jesus on “Fast Talk.” “He exchanged youth for experience,” she said, referring to their age gap. “He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t even swear.”

Gloria admitted that getting married is not on the horizon for her and Mike. She can’t imagine herself wearing a white gown while walking down the aisle. They are not living together, but she quickly added, “I’m not celibate.”

Physical intimacy is important for her, but there are different levels of intimacy and ways to express them. I believe the secret to Gloria’s timeless beauty originates from true happiness and love, which she receives abundantly from people who matter most in her life.