Gloria Diaz

Often cited as belonging to the famed Díaz clan of the Philippines,[5][6][4] she is one of twelve children (ten girls and two boys) of lawyer Jaime Diaz and model and socialite Teresa Aspillera. Her sister, Rio Díaz, was also an actress and beauty queen.[7]

Commemorative stamps featuring the first three Filipino winners of the Miss Universe pageant. (Diaz, left)

While studying in college, Díaz was scouted by a pageant aficionado and was convinced to join the sixth edition of Binibining Pilipinas.[8] Her looks and, more importantly, her wit captivated the audience and she was crowned 1969 Binibining Pilipinas at 18 years old.

Díaz was then sent to Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. to compete in Miss Universe 1969. Arriving at the pageant as an early favorite, Díaz did not disappoint and sailed throughout all the pageant's events that led up to the finals at the Miami Beach Auditorium. Making it to the Top 5, she participated in the final question round and her answer to the question regarding "men in the moon" charmed the audience and the judges. She was crowned as Miss Universe on July 19, 1969, and became the very first Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown. News of her victory (and her measurements) were communicated to the Apollo 11 crew members during their space mission.[9]

During her reign, Díaz travelled through several countries to promote the advocacies supported by the Miss Universe Organization as well as appeared in many public and television events in the United States.

Díaz obtained her high school diploma from Saint Scholastica’s College of Manila.

She was married in 1986 in Manila with honeymoon in Diamond Head, Hawaii and later separated from businessman Gabriel Daza III in 1995, with whom she has two daughters, Isabelle and Ava, and one son, Raphael. After her separation with Daza, she has since been in a relationship with Michael Osmeña de Jesus, a Filipino banker.[12][13]

In 2010, the Cebu chapter of the Vice Mayors League declared Gloria Diaz persona non grata.[14][15]

In a TV Patrol interview shortly after the Miss Universe 2010 pageant on August 23, Díaz commented on Binibining Pilipinas contestant Venus Raj becoming 4th runner-up. She suggested in the interview that perhaps Raj and other Filipinas would benefit from answering pageant questions via the use of an interpreter rather than in English. Díaz further said that:

"Because when you think about a Cebuana can hardly speak English and of course Tagalog. Maybe she should answer in Bisaya."[16]

Her remark sparked outrage amongst many Cebuanos, who felt that Díaz insulted their English proficiency by championing the controversial issue of Tagalog imperialist culture in the Philippines. Cebuano politicians such as Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Congresswoman Rachel del Mar called on her to apologise.[17] In response to the controversy, Díaz declared there was no need to apologize and instead clarified her remarks:

Let me clarify it once and for all. People should have the right to say or to answer (questions) in whatever language they want to say it in. If they're Cebuanos, they can say it in Cebuano. I did not say that they did not speak English. If you're Ilocano, say it in Ilocano. But if you're Ilocano who speaks good English, say it in English. If you're Cebuano who can speak Spanish, if you're comfortable with Spanish, say it in Spanish. That's what I said and that's what I meant.

— Gloria Díaz[17]

On September 1, 2010, the Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines-Cebu passed a resolution declaring Díaz a persona non grata within Cebu City.[18]

• Margie Moran
• Pia Wurtzbach
• Catriona Gray
• Binibining Pilipinas
• Philippines at Major Beauty Pageants

• Media related to Gloria Diaz at Wikimedia Commons
• Gloria Diaz on Instagram
• Gloria Diaz at IMDb