Pia Wurtzbach’s ‘lucky charm’–flowers from Aquino

Kris Aquino

President Aquino’s office “sent flowers to Pia [Alonzo Wurtzbach for good luck],” actress-TV host Kris Aquino disclosed to media shortly after the country’s bet won the Miss Universe crown on Monday.

“What I wanted to know was whether or not he sent her a text message,” Kris added with a smile.

In an earlier TV interview prior to her coronation, Pia admitted she had asked the President—to whom she was once romantically linked—to personally wish her good luck for her quest for the Miss Universe title as he did with Bea Rose Santiago, who eventually bagged the Miss International title in 2013.

It could be recalled that Mr. Aquino personally sent his good luck message to Bea Rose prior to the coronation night in Japan, during his visit to Tokyo.

Flowers were also reportedly delivered to Bea Rose to uplift her spirits even more.

This he also did to Pia, as his sister Kris candidly admitted to entertainment writers during a visit to her home in Quezon City on Monday.

Pia also wore for her departure to Las Vegas the same maroon sweater that Bea Rose wore for her own trip to Tokyo.

Pageant pundits even noted that Pia sported hoop earrings in the swimsuit competition similar to the ones worn by Miss Universe runners-up Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, Janine Tugonon and Ariella Arida in their respective years.

Last year’s representative, Mary Jean Lastimosa, wore a different pair of earrings during the swimsuit competition. She failed to bag a runner-up spot and finished only in the Top 10.

Rumored romance

On Pia’s rumored romance with her brother, Kris grudgingly admitted: “I like her, but I don’t think she liked Noy.”

She continued: “I think she (Pia) entertained him then, but you can tell from her character that she’s a single-minded person. Her focus was the pageant. Look at how much weight she has lost just for the contest. She worked hard in order to win.”

The controversial TV host added that: “All of us, my sisters and I, liked her since the time she was being linked to P-Noy. She could have easily denied [that they were talking]. It was during the time of the SAF [controversy], when Noy was being hit left and right. She spoke up for him. I said, ‘This girl is brave. She didn’t deny Noy. Good for her.’”

Kris was referring to the death of 44 members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police in an 11-hour firefight with rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province. The President was one of those who was blamed for operational lapses.

On Steve Harvey’s boo-boo, Kris said: “It really happens. I know this because I’ve been part of ‘Pilipinas Got Talent.’ Normally, one gets briefed before announcing the winner. I guess they failed to orient Steve properly.”

She added that she could empathize with Colombian actress Sofia Vergara (star of “Modern Family”), who posted on her Twitter account photo of Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo as well as a comment in Spanish that translated to “still the queen.”

“It’s true that it’s not nice to crown her (Miss Colombia) Miss Universe, then later take back the crown from her,” Kris said. “But let’s all be truthful—based on Pia’s answers during the Q&A, we already know that she’s the winner!”

Kris said she was impressed with how Pia answered the questions. “She’s so brave to have answered the way she did about the US (United States) bases here in the Philippines. People would probably get angry with me for agreeing with her, but in a world where China is so strong we need them, and all the help that we can get.”

Kris added: “She was also right to have talked about HIV awareness. It’s true that the number of HIV cases are increasing because people are sharing needles.”

Kris said she has also come to terms with the fact that her latest movie, “All You Need is Pag-ibig,” would not be No. 1 when the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) opens on Christmas Day. “I told Vice (Ganda, who also has an MMFF entry) that we should already accept this,” she told reporters.