As Filipinos prepare to go to the polls to vote in the country’s midterm elections, beauty queen Catriona Gray has sent a message to her homeland.
The 25-year-old, who took the title of Miss Universe 2018 representing the Philippines, encouraged everyone in the country to head to the polls.
Posting a message to her 5.5 million Instagram followers, she said: “To all Filipinos, I encourage you to do your part in deciding the future of our beloved Philippines by exercising your right to vote.”
She went on to share some advice for voting, offering her followers a checklist to keep in mind when deciding which candidate to back. This includes considering their values, vision and priorities, competence, position on issues, track record, source of funding and service.
More than 18,000 positions are at stake in Monday’s vote, including half of the seats in the upper house Senate, which has served as a bulwark against some of President Rodrigo Duterte's most controversial policies.
The outcome of Monday’s vote is expected to strengthen Duterte's grip on power, paving the way for him to deliver on pledges to restore the death penalty and rewrite the constitution.
Gray sent her message to fans from her current home in New York City, where she is living and working alongside the Miss Universe Organisation as part of her current reign.
She took the crown back in December at the finals of the contest in Bangkok, beating off 92 competitors to claim the title.