That’s according to the monthly men’s magazine Esquire Philippines, which features the reigning Miss Universe on the cover for its August issue. The Esquire Facebook post read, “Seven months after her coronation and more than halfway into her reign, Miss Universe comes home, strips down, and bares the heart beneath her confident beauty. She speaks to Esquire about pageantry, persistence, and practicing what she preaches.”
The Esquire Philippines’ honor came on the heels of Pia Wurtzbach’s inclusion in the FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women List for 2016 debuting at 16th place, just five places ahead of another debutante, the Dubsmash Queen Maine Mendoza who landed at the 21st spot. FHM cited Wurtzbach “for being confidently beautiful with a heart. Gorgeous inside and out—no wonder she’s the most beautiful woman in the universe.”
As in her confusion-marred crowning as Miss Universe, Wurtzbach’s inclusion in the FHM Sexiest list did not pass without controversy coming off FHM’s Sexiest Woman 2016 Jessy Mendiola’s acceptance remark that winning over the likes of Pia Wurtzbach made her “confidently sexy with a heart.” Mendiola was bashed online for it and Wurtzbach quickly twitted to tell everyone to stop sending hateful comments to the actress. “Enough with the Jessy hate. Confident Filipinas should be celebrated, not condemned. What I saw was a girl who was just really ecstatic to be given that recognition. There is nothing wrong with that,” the confidently beautiful Miss U wrote adding the hashtags #NoToBodyShaming and #NoToBullying.
Adding to her FHM Sexiest List debut, Wurtzbach also made Wonderlist’s Ten Most Beautiful Women of 2016. Wonderslist, a dedicated blog that presents top 10 lists from around the world in a variety of categories, e.g. top 10 sexiest Hollywood actresses, most memorable Hollywood cars, fastest electric cars today, described their selection as restricted to women who have achieved a fair level of celebrity, based on the strongest, intelligent, desirable, popular, attractive, hot and most successful women of 2016.
Wonderlist placed Wurtzbach at no.10. Others who made the list were Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke (9), Brazilian supermodel and Victoria’s Secret angel Adriana Lima (8), former Miss World and 2015 Sexiest Asian Woman Priyanka Chopra (7), hot Hollywood actress and Johnny Depp’s wife Amber Heard (6), UK chart-topper pop singer Pixie Lott (5), India’s highest paid actress and top sex symbol Deepika Padukone (4), K-pop member and Real Men 4 star Nana Im Jin-Ah (3), Fil-Am actress/model and Dolce Amore star Liza Soberano (2) and topping the list is former Disney star and singer Selena Gomez.
Wurtzbach also appeared as special guest at the recent Miss Teen USA 2016 pageant at the Venetian Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada. Wearing a beautiful floral gown by Sherri Hill, she joined Miss USA 2016 Deshauna Barber and Miss Teen USA 2015 Katherine Haik to crown Miss Teen USA 2016 Karlie Hay. Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan, who co-hosted the pageant, reunited with Wurtzbach embracing her like a long lost friend after she introduced her on stage.
Wurtzbach expressed her support to Hay after the discovery of racist tweets she made in 2013 and 2014 that used the N-word hours after she was crowned winner. Hay issued an apology saying her use of racist language on social media a “careless mistake” influenced by friends but added she has since grown up and hoped that others would learn from her mistake. “I am honored to hold this title and I will use this platform to promote the values of the Miss Universe Organization and my own, that recognize the confidence, beauty and perseverance of all women,” Hay tweeted after critics called for her to step down.
Meanwhile, Maxine Medina, the country’s bet at the 2017 Miss Universe, said during a press briefing that she was thrilled at the announcement of Manila as host of the next Miss Universe adding it has boosted her self-confidence. Looking like she is a hundred percent ready for the competition, the 25-year-old interior designer, said she was focused on her daily training, biding her time as the pageant is still months away. She added that Wurtzbach has promised to guide her during the pageant.
News of the country’s hosting of the 2017 Miss Universe was also greeted with excitement by Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres. She posted on Instagram that she missed the country she considered her second home and attached photos of Filipino delicacies like Cebu’s dried mango, polvoron and the Philippine flag which quickly garnered thousands likes from netizens.
