The meeting of champions

How is her (budding?) romance with Dr. Mikhail Varshavski (a.k.a. Dr. Mike), People magazine’s Sexiest Doctor Alive?

Hasn’t any presidential candidate approached her for endorsement?

What qualities does she think should the next President of the Philippines have?

As contestants in beauty contests here and abroad would say, “Thank you for the nice questions!”

Sorry, folks, but when The STAR did a one-on-one with Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach yesterday after the presscon for her third homecoming after winning the country’s third Miss U in Las Vegas in December last year, there were strict reminders not to ask any personal or political questions.

Earlier that morning, Manny Pacquiao ended his victory parade at the Araneta Center where the Novotel Hotel is located, the same hotel where Pia is again billeted like her first and second visits last January and March. Pacquiao arrived yesterday morning from the US, a day after Pia did the day before, he from Las Vegas and she from New York which is her home during her one-year reign as Miss Universe.

Seizing the rare chance, Irene Jose, COO of Uniprom, Inc. of the Araneta Group of Companies, promptly arranged a meeting between the two champions at the hotel, hosted by Madame Stella Marquez de Araneta, head of the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI).

It was an emotional meeting, according to Pia, their first time to be face-to-face made memorable by Pacquiao by giving Pia a pair of autographed pink gloves.

“Pink talaga,” smiled Pia, “the color of Miss Universe.”

When Pacquiao lost to Floyd Mayweather last year, Pia consoled him by promising to “get back,” saying, “Hindi bale, babawi tayo!” which was met by cynics with expressions of disbelief, dismissing Pia as boasting, until Pia did prove true to her promise when she won Miss Universe.

When they met yesterday, Pacquiao thanked Pia for giving him moral support. Pia recalled that she was at the edge of her seat while watching the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight and broke down when Pacquiao lost.

“He told me that he learned about what I said,” continued Pia. “He and his wife Jinkee watched the Miss Universe pageant on TV and they became emotional daw when I won. I told him that idol ko sya. I’m happy that we finally met and he felt the same. It’s a great feeling for both of us to have brought honor to our country.”

The second time Pia came home post-Miss U was to shoot for a commercial (product name confidential). This time, she’s here to crown her successor during the 2016 Bb. Pilipinas Pageant on Sunday night, April 17, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum (aired live by ABS-CBN with Xian Lim and KC Concepcion as hosts).

Many of the 40 aspirants are repeaters, inspired no doubt by Pia who lost the Bb. Pilipinas crown twice before she bagged it on her third try. Yes, a quitter never wins! Pia has seen the contestants up close during the press presentation. Asked about the possibility of a back-to-back win for the Philippines, Pia said, “Why not?”

In the history of beauty contests, there have been several back-to-back wins: thrice in the Miss World by Sweden in 1951 (Kiki Hakanson) and 1952 (May-Louise Flodin), by United Kingdom in 1964 (Ann Sydney) and 1965 (Lesley Langley), and by India in 1999 (Yukta Mookhey) and 2000 (Priyanka Chopra). Once in Miss Universe by Venezuela in 2008 (Dayana Mendoza) and 2009 (Stefania Fernandez); and once in Miss Earth in 2014 (Jamie Herrell) and 2015 (Angelia Ong).

“It’s a possibility,” said Pia, “after all, there are so many beautiful girls in this year’s Binibini batch,” adding as an advice to her successor, “It depends on our candidate how hard she prepares for the pageant and how far or how much she can sustain the same kind of energy during the local pageant. You could be very confident here but it’s something else when you are out there with so many beautiful girls around you. She must also be well-versed on current events because she can be asked about what’s happening around the world out there.”

Madame Stella agreed.

“Yes, a back-to-back win can happen,” she sounded sure.

By the way, is there any chance for this year’s Miss Universe Pageant to be held here (for the third time if ever, the first was in 1974 and the second was in 1994)?

Madame Stella broke into a wide smile.

“Yes, it’s possible!”

Keep your fingers crossed, you beauty-watchers out there!

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)