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Seeking 'A' credit crown, Philippines looks to Miss Universe Catriona Gray

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/business/05/08/20190508-catriona-gray-homecoming.jpg"/><figcaption>Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray greets well-wishers in homecoming paradeon Feb. 21, 2019. A senior economic manager said on May 8, 2019 that the Philippines&#x27; quest for an &#x27;A&#x27; credit score would be inspired by her pageant journey. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Hoping to be crowned with its first ever &quot;A&quot; credit rating by 2022, the Philippines will emulate Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray&#x27;s example of leaving a global audience spellbound, a senior economic manager said Wednesday.To sell the Philippines&#x27; &quot;beautiful narrative&quot; to credit ratings agencies, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of Finance will draft a roadmap to secure the &quot;A&quot; debt score.&quot;As in a Miss Universe contest, we must do a Catriona swirl to be noticed, to be set apart from the rest,&quot; Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo told reporters in Malacanang.&quot;Because indeed, like Catriona, we have something beautiful to show them,&quot; Guinigundo said of the 25-year-old Filipino-Australian, who won the country&#x27;s fourth Miss Universe crown last December.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/12/17/18/catriona-gray-crowned-miss-universe">Catriona Gray crowned Miss Universe</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/12/13/18/stubborn-visionary-catriona-carries-entire-philippines-in-miss-universe-campaign">&#x27;Stubborn, visionary&#x27; Catriona carries entire Philippines in Miss Universe campaign</a></li></ul>By highlighting the Philippines&#x27; reform efforts, &quot;the credit ratings agencies, like the judges in a beauty contest will be able to sustain their glance and give us a gaze instead,&quot; Guinigundo said.Gray&#x27;s &quot;lava walk,&quot; inspired by the Mayon Volcano in her home province of Albay, helped her secure the crown and even got praise from supermodel and TV host Tyra Banks.Her slow-motion twirl and hair flip later secured her an ice cream cone endorsement from the Philippines&#x27; largest fastfood operator, Jollibee.Guinigundo said the inter-agency body would &quot;direct our efforts to addressing issues&quot; raised by credit ratings agencies.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/05/02/19/tyra-interviews-catriona-what-they-talked-about">Tyra interviews Catriona: What they talked about</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/15/19/catriona-gray-recreates-lava-walk-for-new-jollibee-ad">Catriona Gray recreates &#x27;lava walk&#x27; for new Jollibee ad</a></li></ul>S&amp;P Global on April 30 <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/30/19/sp-raises-philippines-credit-rating-citing-strong-economy">raised the Philippines&#x27; score</a> to BBB+, one notch below the minimum &quot;A&quot; rating, citing above-average economic growth, a healthy external position and sustainable public finances.Finance Sec. Carlos Dominguez earlier told the same briefing that the upgrade was a &quot;green light&quot; for more investments in the country&quot;More foreign direct investments means more jobs, increased productivity, higher incomes for our people,&quot; he said.At BBB+, S&amp;P Global rates the Philippines above Italy and Portugal and one notch below Spain and Malaysia, he said.Dominguez said the government would continue pursuing &quot;game-changing&quot; reforms, including the ongoing overhaul of the tax system.

To sell the Philippines' "beautiful narrative" to credit ratings agencies, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of Finance will draft a roadmap to secure the "A" debt score.

To sell the Philippines' "beautiful narrative" to credit ratings agencies, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of Finance will draft a roadmap to secure the "A" debt score.