01/08/2025
61 YEARS AGO — An arrogant foreign judge once asked the Philippine candidate to Miss International 1964, Gemma Cruz, the granddaughter of Jose Rizal through his sister Maria Mercado, a blatantly offensive question.
The judge asked:
“Is it true that people in the Philippines live in trees?”
Gemma Cruz calmly and brilliantly replied:
“Yes, it’s true, but we use escalators to get down.”
The judges burst into laughter, and the man who asked the question quickly retracted his remark, claiming it was merely a joke. Cruz, with grace and wit, managed to handle the racist comment with poise.
In the end, Gemma Cruz made history as the first Asian to win the Miss International pageant, also marking the Philippines’ first major international beauty title. She was awarded $10,000, which, when adjusted for inflation today, would be around $104,052 (₱5,957,082).
In a remarkable act of humility and compassion, Cruz donated the entire amount to a Boys’ Town Home care facility in Marikina.
In recognition of her honor, generosity, and service to the country, President Diosdado Macapagal signed a law exempting her from paying taxes for life.
Later in her life, Gemma Cruz served as Secretary of the Department of Tourism during the presidency of Joseph “Erap” Estrada. As of today, Cruz is 82 years old.
