NCCA Arts Ambassador Catriona Gray: 'Change lives through art'
Of all the people that gathered at the Centro De Turismo Intramuros for the Press Conference and Stakeholders' Launch of the National Arts Month 2026, one individual stood out the most: Catriona Gray.
Gray continues her duty—for the seventh straight year—as Ambassador for the Arts, a designation she accepted from the National Commission for the Culture of the Arts (NCCA).
The 2018 Miss Universe simply shone in her wickedly green Filipiniana and matching heels even as she was attentively listening to the speakers ahead of her that included Atty. Joan Padilla (Administrator, Intramuros Administration) Eric Zerrudo, Ph.D. (Chairman and Executive Director, NCCA) and Lordinio Vergara, Ph.D. (Commissioner, Subcommission on the Arts).
National Arts Month is observed every February in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 683. With the NCCA at the helm, programs and activities that highlight the seven art forms (Architecture and Allied Arts, Cinema, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Literary Arts, Music, and Visual Arts) will take place across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The theme for this year is "Ani ng Sining: Katotohanan at Giting", which underscores the power of the arts to speak truth, inspire courage, and contribute to peace and development. Anchored on the outcomes of the Philippine Development Plan for Culture and the Arts and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), NAM 2026 highlights how artistic expressions reflect shared realities and collective aspirations of the Filipino people.
Zerrudo, who delivered his speech in Tagalog, first underscored the importance of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Intramuros Administration and other local agencies as part of the Good Neighbor Policy. He described it as a solid step towards a healthier collaboration for more cultural programs that will benefit the nation.
"Kami po ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa Intramuros Administration, lalo na kay Intramuros Administrator, Attorney Joan Padilla, sa pagpapatuloy at pagtanggap sa atin dito sa Centro de Turismo Intramuros," Zerrudo said.
He then acknowledged Gray's significant contributions as Arts Ambassador for the NCCA. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gray fulfilled her role by participating in alternative and digital platforms, also appearing in virtual pressers and several NCCA promotional materials and programs such as "Kultura101 with Catriona", "The Grand Reveal" featuring The Metropolitan Theater, "Padayon: The NCCA Hour", and in the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.
As COVID-19 restrictions gradually eased and in-person activities were allowed, Gray became even more visible during NAM press conferences and opening celebrations, likewise using her influential platforms to emphasize the arts as a vessel for shared history and cultural identity through public participation, support of local talents, and the reinforcement of Philippine artistic traditions.
It was then Gray's turn to take the stage, giving thanks for the opportunity to serve as Arts Ambassador once more. She then prefaced her speech by saying that she wanted to give a message that, while slightly different from previous years, she feels is relevant today.
"In the pursuit of art, it can feel a little bit frustrating mas lalo sa society ngayon na we like to measure the impact through likes and shares and engagement," Gray says. "And when you're creating something that's so dear to you, that feels so personal, that you birthed something into this world and there is no engagement or maybe it's not shared by a hundred people... 'what am I making this for?' But I think everyone in this room today, bilang artist ka or hinde, there is a pivotal moment in your life that you witnessed a performance, a song, a spoken word, a film that really spoke to you. Maybe as an artist, it made you feel like that this type of art can exist. Or it maybe made you feel something, sometimes that is enough for us to be encouraged in our pursuit of art. I would like to encourage you all, that maybe one day, in your pursuit of art, in continuing to put it out into the world, there is one person, kahit isa lang, that will have their lives changed by seeing that, by being impacted by it."
It's difficult to say if Gray changed up her speech at the last minute but what was clear was her sincerity in delivering it. She recognizes the plight artists face in the important pursuit of creativity that feeds the soul, something she has spoken about strongly in the past.
Through her encouraging words, not only did Gray prove that she is and forever will be a beloved beauty queen, but that she likewise possesses empathy and understanding—qualities fitting of an Arts Ambassador for the NCCA.
"Malaki po ang aming pasasalamat sa patuloy na pakikiisa ng ating Arts Ambassador, si Catriona Gray, na buong pusong iniaalay ang kanyang pangalan at impluwensiya upang mas marami pa ang maabot ng ating mga adhikain," Zerrudo said. "Hindi lamang po siya kasama natin ngayon; sa buong taon ay naging katuwang namin siya sa iba’t ibang proyekto. Tunay po kaming nagpapasalamat sa kanyang presensya at malasakit." By Dexter R. Matilla
(Photos courtesy of the NCCA)
Related story:
NCCA Highlights Filipino Identity of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao through the 7 Arts
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