MANILA – The country’s first Miss Universe winner has a message for the current Philippine representative in the international beauty pageant.

Gloria Diaz, who won the crown in 1969, told PTV during the recently concluded Governor’s Ball that the event is her first opportunity to meet Miss Universe Philippines Maxine Medina.

“This is the first time I will meet Maxine and the first thing I will tell her is to get an interpreter if she feels that she can better express her thoughts using our vernacular language,” Diaz was quoted in a social media post by PTV on Tuesday.

Diaz stressed that speaking in Filipino during the Miss Universe pageant does not make her any less of a beauty queen.

“She is a Filipina and I don’t think it will make her less of a beauty queen if she will decide to use our language on the grand coronation,” she said.

In the same interview with PTV, Diaz was asked to share her thoughts about Medina’s chances of achieving a back-to-back Miss Universe victory and follow in the footsteps of fellow Filipina Pia Wurtzbach.

“No,” she replied. “But I think she has a chance, and chance is one in a million.”

• READ: Can PH get a Miss U back-to-back win? Gloria Diaz reacts

Medina’s pageant trainer has mentioned they are studying the possibility of getting an interpreter for the Filipina beauty queen.

“Ang sinasabi lang namin, kung ano ang nasa puso niya, sabihin niya,” said Jonas Gaffud, who also trained Wurtzbach for the Miss Universe 2015 pageant, told ABS-CBN News’ Marie Lozano. “So ngayon kung kakailanganin niya para mas ma-convey niya ‘yung kanyang nasa puso at isip, e di sabihin lang niya.”

Wurtzbach previously said there is nothing wrong with getting an interpreter in the Miss Universe pageant.

“Pwede naman. Kaya nga may option eh,” she told ABS-CBN News’ Dyan Castillejo on Monday. “I don’t think they would give you the option of using an interpreter if they thought that it would ruin your chances. Hindi naman ganun ‘yung Miss Universe. Whatever you’re comfortable with, you do that.”