Hidilyn Diaz, Kylie Verzosa among 'People of the Year' awardees

MANILA, Philippines — Olympic medalist Hidilyn Diaz and Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa are listed among People Asia's People of the Year for this year.

Diaz, a three-time Olympian, was the first Filipino athlete to bag an Olympic medal since 2016. She won the silver medal of the women's 54 kg weightlifting with a total of 200 kg at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last August.

"If you're not willing to put in the hard work, to endure and fail, there's no point. You win only if you're willing to do whatever it takes," Diaz said in an interview with People Asia.

 

Kylie Verzosa is one of PeopleAsia's People of the Year awardees. "I took what life offered me and then I started taking control... And (God) guided me along the way. It just didn't prayers. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where I am," she shares. Read more about Miss International 2016 in PeopleAsia's December 2016 - January 2017 issue that's now available in your favorite newsstands and bookstores. For inquiries and orders, call Bong at (02) 892 1854 or at (0922) 877 6556. #KylieVerzosa #MissInternational #MissInternational2016 #PeopleoftheYear #POY2016 #PeopleAsia

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Dec 26, 2016 at 7:13pm PST

 

Hidilyn Diaz is one of PeopleAsia's People of the Year awardees. "If you're not willing to put in the hard work, to endure and fail, there's no point. You win only if you're willing to do whatever it takes," she says. Read more about the three-time Olympian and the first Filipino athlete to bag an Olympic medal since 1996 in PeopleAsia's December 2016 - January 2017 issue that's now available in your favorite newsstands and bookstores. For inquiries and orders, call Bong at (02) 892 1854 or at (0922) 877 6556. #HidilynDiaz #PeopleoftheYear #POY2016 #PeopleAsia

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Dec 27, 2016 at 6:55pm PST

Verzosa also brought honor to the country when she won the Miss International 2016 pageant in Tokyo, Japan last October.

Besting 65 other representatives of various countries, Verzosa is the sixth Filipina to become Miss International.

"I took what life offered me and then I started taking control... And (God) guided me along the way. It just didn't prayers. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where I am," Verzosa said.

 

PeopleAsia presents its ultimate list of movers and shakers: People of the Year 2016. #PeopleAsia #PeopleoftheYear #POY2016

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Dec 19, 2016 at 1:34am PST

Other Filipinos included in People Asia's People of the Year are Asia's songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Emperador chairman Andrew Tan, award-winning actor John Lloyd Cruz, former UNESCO-Philippines Secretary-General Preciosa Soliven, construction magnate Alice Eduardo, business tycoon Henry Lim Bon Liong, Mang Inasal founder Edgar Sia II, broadcast journalist Ces Oreña Drilon, Celia Diaz-Laurel, Aivee Group CEO Z Teo, actor Christopher De Leon, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and TAPE Inc. President and CEO Antonio Tuviera. — Patricia Lourdes Viray