Gloria Diaz on 1969 win: ‘I didn’t expect it, but didn’t think I’d lose’

More than five decades since making history as the first Filipina Miss Universe, Gloria Diaz still recalls with clarity the mindset that carried her to victory in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1969.

In a candid conversation with Boy Abunda, Gloria admitted she never truly expected to win the crown—but she also never entertained the thought of losing. “Definitely not,” she said when asked if she thought she would win. “But I didn’t think I was gonna lose. You don’t go into a contest saying, ‘Ay naku, matatalo ako.’ The attitude then was: okay, enjoy, I’m sure I’m gonna be okay.”

Youthful Confidence

At only 18, Gloria approached the pageant with a lighthearted spirit, unburdened by the pressures that modern candidates often face. “When you’re young, it’s like go with the flow. That’s why you’re not as tense. Now, a lot of the girls are older, they’re breadwinners, they carry so many responsibilities. Ako noon, it was my first time away from home, so enjoy lang.”

The pageant also marked Gloria’s first trip to the United States. “That was the first time I went to the States. First time to wear heels outside of Miss Philippines,” she laughed.

A Crown and a Classic Answer

Her winning moment came during the question-and-answer portion, when she was asked how she would entertain a man from the moon if he landed in her hometown. Gloria delivered a witty and timeless reply: “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.”

That poise, charm, and effortless confidence would ultimately crown her as Miss Universe 1969—the first Filipina to hold the title, and the woman who began the Philippines’ illustrious legacy on the global pageant stage.