MISS UNIVERSE 1969: Gloria Diaz (Philippines)

Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz (born 1950) is a veteran in Philippine cinema, and the first Filipino to bring home the Miss Universe crown.


Early Life and Family

Diaz was born in the Ilocos region of Northern Philippines. Often referred to as one of the Diaz clan in newspapers, Diaz was one of 12 children. One of her sisters, Rio Diaz-Cojuangco, was also a Filipino actress and beauty titlist, who fell ill with colon cancer and died after a six-year battle. She is cousin to many people, including Maria Diaz, who has 3 children.

Personal Life

She was married to businessman Gabriel "Bong" Daza with whom she has two daughters, Isabella and Ava Esmeralda.

1969 Miss Universe

She was approached by an individual who believed she would do well in the Miss Universe competition and groomed the young woman. Oddly, none of her family members took the competition seriously and did not accompany Díaz to Florida. Díaz was only eighteen when she became Miss Universe of 1969 after outsmarting other candidates on the question on how to welcome the first men that had just landed on the moon--Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins--as soon as they were back on the planet. She was crowned in the international American-owned pageant in 1969 in Florida, U.S. after their footage was set on the Statue of Liberty in New York.

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OUR VERY FIRST..MISS UNIVERSE :-108--:

Thank you for sharing these photos of Ms. Diaz.

With her daughter

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