World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to welcome amazing Queen Catherine Valdez-Grede Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe 2019.
Full name: Catherine Valdez-Grede
Title/Year: Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe 2019
Other Titles: Mrs. Beautiful Woman Universe 2019
Pageant System: Mrs. Universe
Age: 36
Zodiac sign: Aries
Hobbies: Playing Basketball, Cardio training,Weightlifting, Dancing, Reading and Travelling
Platform: Brain/Heart Stroke awareness which is very relevant and the 2nd largest cause of death in my home country, the Philippines, because people esp. the old ones, since there is no health insurance . Nobody goes for a complete health check-up nor aware what are the symptoms of having a stroke that can cause sudden death for them.
Years competed: My very first Pageant where i won my very first crown title was when i was 16 years old as Ms. University of Pangasinan- Student Association of Mgt. Acctg., Then in the year 2015, i have joined 3 different beauty pageants where i won all the crown title which are Ms. Face of Asia 2015,Mrs. Carinosa Hamburg- Germany 2015 and Queen of Hot Mama 2015 and 1 modelling contest in Dez Shopping Mall where i bested 80 other candidates. After 4 years i decided to join again another beauty pageant and won the title Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe 2019 in order for me to qualify to join and fulfill my dreams in joining an international beauty pageant which is the Mrs. Universe 2019 in China
Countries visited: Macau, Hongkong, Singapore,China, UAE (Dubai,Sharjah,Abu Dhabi), USA (California,Seattle, Oregon), Iceland, Switzerland, Italy, France, Netherlands , Czech Republic , Spain, Great Britain, Austria ,Liechtenstein and Luxembourg,
Likes: Sincere, Kind, Loving, Positive, Grateful and Funny People
Dislikes: Hypocrite, Self-centered, Narcissistic and Negative People
Status: Divorced and Single mother of 2 beautiful kids
World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us about yourself.
I am a born Filipino and naturalized German citizen. I got married at the age of 19 and was living since then here in Germany. I got divorced in the year of 2015. I have 2 children from my marriage,my son is now 16 and my daughter is 10. Due to different educational System of Philippines to Germany, my degree BS. Management Accounting in the Philippines is not acknowledged and Germany so i am now in my 3rd year apprenticeship and soon to Graduate for Hotel Management.I am the only daughter and eldest among 3 siblings, I am daddy´s girl and we were raised with a strong family bond. I mostly go home every 2 years in the Philippines with my kids so that they learned and love the origin of their mother.
World Class Beauty Queens: What does women Empowerment means to you?
I started a Facebook group called "Women Empowerment Connection" it is a portal where to reach all the high value women that i have met all over the world and connect them . The goal of this group is to empower and uplift each other on achieving our Goals in our own fun and feminine energy. Women Empowerment for me is gaining the courage and confidence to face all the challenges successfully knowing that there are massive group of Women behind you,encouraging and supporting you.And the fact that you are able to share it with these wonderful ladies is much more sweeter experience rather than doing it alone.
World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your pageant history.
As i mentioned before,my first beauty pageant was at the age of 16 during my first year college. I think they asked me to joined not because of my beauty but because of my towering height as a Filipina, lol. Nobody expected me to win honestly because i am very skinny and always wear very loose pants and shirts like hip-hop style during rehearsals until i showed up on the pageant night. After that,from joining beauty pageants to being discovered as a runway model in the Philippines until getting married and settling here in Germany. I never thought that i would ever encounter organizers who do beauty pageants. So in the year 2015, not intentionally, that i have joined 3 different beauty pageants and 1 modelling contest which i have won all the 1st place. After that i never join again even there are lots of offers until i was asked last year to join 3 different national pageants which are Mrs. World Philippines, Mrs. International Philippines and Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe that will entitle me to represent my country Philippines in an international pageant. I decided to join Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe 2019 in Sittard,Netherlands which made me won the title and able to compete against 93 other ladies in Guangzhou China for the Mrs. Universe 2019. I won the title there Mrs. Beautiful Woman Universe 2019 and got into Top 25 finalist which i earned the 22nd place.
World Class Beauty Queens: What inspired you to do your first pageant?
I was 2 years varsity Basketball during Highschool and as an only daughter with 2 brothers growing up,My Father raised me as one of the Boys. I played with my Dad and brothers early in the morning during weekend Basketball, he even tried to teach me how to drive motorcycles and did a lot of boys stuff like throwing punches with my brothers and always got into accidents from too much bicycle riding and making some stunts,lol. So when i was asked to join the pageant in the University, i thought,hey, i wanted to try girls clothes on too,put some make-up and be feminine.
World Class Beauty Queens: Why did you choose to compete for your current title?
It was my childhood dream to compete in an international beauty pageant. In the Philippines, beauty pageant is a huge event like boxing and basketball. And most of all the Miss Universe is the highest competition among all the beauty pageant all over the World. and since i was already married, i thought, let us go for the Mrs. Universe title so i did compete again after 4 years not stepping into any beauty pageant stage in Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe 2019 in order for me to qualify to join Mrs. Universe 2019 in Guangzhou,China.
World Class Beauty Queens: To those unfamiliar with your pageant system please tell us what is it about?
Pageant Organizations from different countries all over the World hold their own respective beauty pageant and send their delegate winners to the Mrs. Universe finals. The Mrs. Universe is not all about showcasing our beauty but also support their advocacy which is Women Empowerment and Protection against Domestic and Child Abuse. That is the reason why i love being a part of Mrs. Universe because it is a platform where i am able to showcase my capabilities on how to help those in need especially Women and children which is something dear to my heart as a mother myself.
World Class Beauty Queens: What are you being judged on during the competition?
Video presentation or PPT for the Protection against Domestic Violence against Women and Child Protection
Charity Projects
Talent
Personality
Evening Gown
Traditional Costume
World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your experience during the competition.
Our schedule was honestly pretty tight from presenting our advocacy through videos,talent shows,excursions,rehearsals,photoshoots and visiting the charity project sites and the Sponsors of Mrs. Universe. It was a bit exhausting but it was alot of fun spending time with my Pageant sisters. I won 93 new friends all over the world and i really got close to some of them and still have contact with them. It was a competition but we develop a strong bond of Sisterhood esp. with my roommate Mrs. Thailand Linda Schmidt,I miss her craziness,her love for food,lol and our late night talk before going to sleep.I also got close to Mrs. Vietnam Hieu,Mrs. East Asia Shweta and our mommy Mrs. Cambodia Hin.
World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your platform or what cause do you volunteer for.
I do honestly do some charity works anonymously and become a member of 2 strong charity foundation in Europe which is the Carinosa Group Hamburg e.V. and the Socialites Group in Europe. Our main Goal is to help those less fortunate people in our homeland country the Philippines.Mostly we aim to support the education of children because we believe that they are the future of our World. I also am working on to the Brain Stroke awareness as my own father has suffered from it 2 years ago. I believe that only if People are aware of it, that we can save more lives or prevent them on being more serious cases of stroke.
World Class Beauty Queens: What appearances have you done with your title?
aside from being offered different modelling jobs to some clothing labels and modeliing agency, i have already few invitations to join the fashion Show for Mrs. Universe Fashion Show in Dubai and Greece this May, be a jury for different beauty pageants in Sweden,UK and Sri Lanka, i have to host a concert too from an World award winner choir Group Kammerchor Manila of Philippines,co organizing a beauty pageant from a charity organization and also offered to organize a fashion show in Germany and also an interview aside from World Class Beauty Queens Magazine,an interview soon with the local newspaper here in Kassel, Germany where i live.
World Class Beauty Queens: What are some of your achievements?
Well there are honestly already a lot when we will begin on my academics being always on the honor list from grade 1 until i reached high school.Passing my German driver´s license and getting into University in Germany which is very hard.Also being featured not only thrice but a couple of times in local newspaper and magazine here in Kassel for being a beauty queen and winning the modelling contest.But the biggest achievement that i could say is able to build a Bungalow House for my parents,raising my 2 kids very well and able to fly home every 2 years in the Philippines despite being a single mother.
World Class Beauty Queens: What makes you stand out from all those other beautiful girls?
My Persistence makes me stand out from all those other beautiful girls. I am someone that if i set my goals and start visualizing the positive outcome from it then i will never stop until i achieve my goals.
World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about the moment your name was called out as the winner.
I was very happy and delighted that all of my hard work during preparation has finally paid off. It was a 3 months preparation with lots of discipline and determination.
World Class Beauty Queens: What does it mean to you to be a Beauty Queen?
Being a Beauty Queen for me is a big honor and at the same time a big responsibility for i have to aware of every actions that i am taking for i know that there are alot of People esp. Women and even young girls who looks up on me. And i sincerely wanted to be a good example to them and hope to influence them in a positive way especially when it comes to helping other less fortunate people or just encouraging other people how to be more positive and grateful in their life.
World Class Beauty Queens: How did competing in pageants helped your life?
Competing in Pageants help me in a way that my social connection massively build up which is very beneficial of course in my career. esp. as a model. It gave me confidence and gave me the chance to showcase my abilities on how to become more help to those less fortunate people.
World Class Beauty Queens: How did pageants helped your selfesteem and body image?
Pageants did help me gain more confidence about myself and be more aware of every actions that i do because i became suddenly some other people look up to,there are some little girls who send me private messages who needs encouragement and always grateful about it. Mrs. Universe is for those are/were married and Miss Universe too supports any body type image so there is no pressure for me to make a strict rule about how should my body look like but doing Sports is a part of me that i love doing. I find inner peace and feel good about it whenever i finish a certain training routine in the gym and sweat enough.
World Class Beauty Queens: You are an inspiration to all the girls out there. How does it feel?
It feels an honor to be an inspiration to all girls because i feel significant to them esp. on helping them achieve their Goals .There is such no greater feeling knowing that your existence has a strong impact on other girls who are the future of our World.
World Class Beauty Queens: What is your on stage strategy to win the judges over?
My strategy to win the judges over is just being myself and enjoying every round of competition. I have prepared well enough for the pageant and the only thing i can do is trust myself and have fun and savor the moment on showcasing all the things that i have worked for.
World Class Beauty Queens: How did you prepare for your competition?
I am honestly so persistent whenever i start visualizing how should i look competing on stage and start learning first all the criteria.Luckily i have lots of skilled friends who can help me prepare the best of me from make-up, designers, personal trainer and even q and a, I train myself with pasarela , i always try to develop any new skills then make a video of myself and send it to my friends for possible critics .With q and a , i have a friend who specialize about this and just throw me different random questions and we mostly ends up debating, because honestly during q and a, there is no right or wrong answer, it is just a matter of how u justify it. For my body transformation,i honestly did exert alot of effort and aside of reducing my calorie intake,i also added the EMS (electro muscle stimulator) on my training regimen, it is exhausting and expensive but i can definitely recommend it for those who wanted a total body transformation,i lost 7 kg and i achieved a perfect 90-69-90 vital statistics. It was before 91-74-107
World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for learning better pageant walk?
Take ur time when walking,do not rush,when walking it should be the heels first touching the floor then ur toes.try to sway ur hips more by forming 8 with ur hips while walking and always be aware of ur posture when posing and dont forget your Smize
World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for choosing right pageant dress?
Visualize yourself with your pageant dress while walking on the stage.Does it make you feel beautiful and sexy that it make your heart race and be excited to show it off while competing then it the right dress for you.
World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for winning interview?
Be sincere and confident about it. Do not be one sided but be neutral on your answer whenever you are given such controversial questions about religion,politics and gender equality. Pay attention with the question in order for you to be relevant and always end it with a strong remark.
World Class Beauty Queens: What is one mistake that you've done during competing you wish you could redo and fix it?
Relying and trusting other people when it comes to your preparation esp. your pageant dresses. Believe me,if a tiny thing from your vision on how you will execute everything during competing on Stage goes wrong then you will crumble. The stress,tension and disappointment in your heart will reflect on stage and affect your performance in the whole competition.
World Class Beauty Queens: What other mistakes are made by girls during the contest?
Some girls like me rely too much on their make-up Artist. Joining an international beauty pageant,you have to learn and be good on doing ur make-up because not everytime that the Organization have a make-up service for you or if there is enough time to do the make-up of 94 candidates in just a short amount of time with only around 20 make-up artist.
World Class Beauty Queens: Any modeling or acting experience?
I do not have any acting experience but if i have the chance to do it,i would still challenge myself to do it. Modelling experience,i have modelled under Nelson Cruz for almost 2 years before settling in Germany. Even with no intention of modelling, i guess i just attract this kind of carreer because mostly modelling gig that i have done in Germany is street casted and now i have established my name slowly after joining Mrs. Universe that i get alot of offers
World Class Beauty Queens: What are your plans for 2020 as a Queen?
Well i am graduating soon as a Hotel management apprentice so that is actually my main focus but i am accepting as much as i can on modelling job offers and event invitations.I intend to stay in connection with my modelling job and once i graduate,i might focus more on modelling.
World Class Beauty Queens: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
I want people more to remember me with my kindness and being loving . Someone who radiate positive energy through my smile and laughter.
International Director: Sava Tzekov
National Director: Helen Ligutom
Your Local Director: Helen Ligutom
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to say thank you for this amazing interview.
Catherine Valdez-Grede Mrs. Euro-Philippines Universe 2019, World Class Beauty Queens Magazine, Interview by Derek Tokarzewski Owner/Editor in Chief Mr United Nations 2018 Platform: Women Empowerment Ambassador to International Foundation for Orphans iffocares.org
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