Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz (Tagalog: [ˈɡloɾja ˈdɪas]; born April 5, 1951)^[1] is a Filipina actress, model and beauty queen who won Miss Universe 1969, becoming the first Filipino to hold the Miss Universe title.^[4]

Diaz is one of the twelve children of lawyer Jaime Diaz and model and socialite Teresa Aspillera. Her sister, Rio Díaz, was also an actress and beauty queen.^[5][6][7][4]

Aged 18, while studying in college, Díaz entered and won Binibining Pilipinas 1969.^[8]

Díaz then entered and won Miss Universe 1969, at Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. on July 19, 1969. In the final question round, her answer to the question regarding "men in the moon" charmed the audience and the judges. She was the first Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown. News of her victory (and her measurements) were communicated to the Apollo 11 crew members during their space mission.^[9]

During her reign, Díaz travelled through several countries to promote the advocacies supported by the Miss Universe Organization as well as appeared in many public and television events in the United States.

Diaz married businessman Gabriel Daza III in 1986, and had three children, including Isabelle. They separated in 1995, and she has since been in a relationship with Michael Osmeña de Jesus, a Filipino banker.^[12][13]

In 2010, the Cebu chapter of the Vice Mayors League declared Gloria Diaz persona non grata.^[14][15]

Through her sister, Diaz is an aunt of Georgina Wilson.^[16]

In a TV Patrol interview shortly after the Miss Universe 2010 pageant on August 23, Díaz commented on Binibining Pilipinas contestant Venus Raj becoming 4th runner-up. She suggested in the interview that perhaps Raj and other Filipinas would benefit from answering pageant questions via the use of an interpreter rather than in English. Díaz further said that:

"Because when you think about a Cebuana can hardly speak English and of course Tagalog. Maybe she should answer in Bisaya."^[17]

Her remark sparked outrage amongst many Cebuanos, who felt that Díaz insulted their English proficiency by championing the controversial issue of Tagalog imperialist culture in the Philippines. Cebuano politicians such as Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Congresswoman Rachel del Mar called on her to apologise.^[18] In response to the controversy, Díaz declared there was no need to apologize and instead clarified her remarks:

Let me clarify it once and for all. People should have the right to say or to answer (questions) in whatever language they want to say it in. If they're Cebuanos, they can say it in Cebuano. I did not say that they did not speak English. If you're Ilocano, say it in Ilocano. But if you're Ilocano who speaks good English, say it in English. If you're Cebuano who can speak Spanish, if you're comfortable with Spanish, say it in Spanish. That's what I said and that's what I meant.

— Gloria Díaz^[18]

On September 1, 2010, the Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines-Cebu passed a resolution declaring Díaz a persona non grata within Cebu City.^[19]

• Margie Moran
• Pia Wurtzbach
• Catriona Gray
• Binibining Pilipinas
• Philippines at Major Beauty Pageants