Pia tells what her British bf Jeremy and ‘My Papa Pi’ costar Piolo have in common

From left: Wurtzbach with costars Pepe Herrera and Piolo Pascual

An open communication line is important,” said actress-beauty queen Pia Wurtzbach on how she is surviving a long-distance relationship with Abu Dhabi-based British boyfriend Jeremy Jauncy. “We obviously don’t see each other all the time, but we always talk. It’s also important for a couple to always have future plans, so that you have something to look forward to,” said Pia, adding that she didn’t get to spend Valentine’s Day with Jeremy this year. “But we make it work. We make the days we’re together special.”

Only last month, the 2015 Miss Universe flew to Scotland to be reunited with Jeremy. This was after she spent Christmas with her family in the United Kingdom. “Jeremy also enjoys traveling. Being able to join him in his trips is one of the perks of his work. He is based in Abu Dhabi so I’m there often, but I still fly back to the Philippines because my work is here. This is where I do my shoots for endorsements. I’m also in the process of building my first house here. It’s all about time management. I am able to split my time between the two. It’s possible. As long as I’m informed in advance, I can make myself available for work.”

Pia has agreed to do a sitcom titled “My Papa Pi,” opposite Piolo Pascual and directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. This is her first TV show in almost 10 years, she said. “I honestly didn’t expect I’d be offered something like this. On the day I got an inquiry about it, I said yes immediately. It so happened that I’m here in the Philippines and I was able to move stuff around to make time for this shoot. I’m so grateful that I was chosen to be a part of this. I’m glad to be able to work with Piolo after many years.”

Their last project together was the 2005 sitcom “Bora,” where Pia played Piolo’s cousin. Pia was last seen on TV in the 2012 fantasy-drama series “Aryana,” where she played a minimal role as a jellyfish.

Pia Wurtzbach (right) with boyfriend Jeremy Jauncy in Scotland

Handpicked

“This is a great way to come back to TV, especially because my last engagements happened way before I joined pageants. I also didn’t expect to be given projects just because I’m Miss Universe. I really think that projects like this are given to you because you deserve them and you’ve proven your worth as an artist. I’m also very happy when I learned that we were all handpicked to work here. This is also a great opportunity to work with Direk Cathy again,” said Pia, who did the romantic comedy “My Perfect You” with Cathy in 2018. This was her controversial team-up with Gerald Anderson.

“I made sure to fix my schedule around it because when else will this happen for me? Personally, it’s the perfect project because I will be able to show my kakulitan. Also, I won’t feel pressured by all the crying scenes. I’m thrilled to be given the chance to work with Piolo and Direk Cathy again and be among the lead stars. I’m excited because I will be seen by viewers every week, doing something different.”

Does she think her boyfriend would feel “threatened” by the fact that she will be spending more time with Piolo? “I didn’t ask his permission to do this project. I simply informed him that I’m doing it. He knows who Piolo is because I talk to him a lot about my work in show biz, especially my beginnings in ABS-CBN. He would also ask about known actors in the Philippines and I’ve mentioned Piolo to him. They both like to work out, so maybe when they get to hang out, they can work out together.”

Daily struggles

The sitcom is about the daily struggles of the people living on Mapag-Asa Street. Pepe Herrera plays Piolo’s twin brother in the series.

“Piolo and Pepe are both very experienced actors, but they never made me feel I’m inferior and different from them. They’re very welcoming. They are generous in sharing their knowledge with me. They talk to me if they think there are still things in my role that I need to improve on. Direk Cathy does this for me, too. The entire set actually has a very welcoming vibe. We all try to help each other because we want to make every actor shine.”

Just like everyone on Mapag-Asa Street, Pia said she draws hope from her family. “I miss them all the time because they’re in the UK—my mom, my sister and her kids. I love my nephew and niece so much,” said Pia, who is currently building a home here in the Philippines. “I’m working hard for it. It’s special because it’s my first home. Although I don’t think it will be finished soon, maybe by the end of the year or next year. I really want it to be perfect.”

“My Papa Pi” starts airing on March 5, 7 p.m., on the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, iWantTFC and TFC.