Pia Wurtzbach Launches ‘Queen of the Universe’ Novel

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Actress-beauty queen-advocate Pia Wurtzbach Jauncey officially launched her book “Queen of the Universe” at the Manila International Book Fair held at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

The novel is drawn from the Miss Universe 2015’s real-life experiences as a beauty queen and beyond, set against the rich backdrop of Manila’s glittering urban life. It centers on a fictional character named Cleo who has to face unexpected twists and turns and endure challenges to her identity and integrity amidst the dizzying world of beauty pageants.

“Cleo is loosely based on my life story but as you go through the chapters you will see that she goes through her own journey so it’s not me. Medyo magkaiba kami ng path na pupuntahan. I’ll leave that up to you guys to discover when you read the book,” Pia said.

“Queen of the Universe” is one of a handful of books by a Filipino author to launch internationally. Aside from the Philippines, the book is now in Singapore and will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, UAE, and the UK later this year. Its e-book version will be available worldwide starting November 7.

“Queen of the Universe” is published by Tuttle Publishing, one of the oldest American publishers in operation and the world’s largest publisher of books about Asia.

For this project, Pia is represented by her literary agent ABS-CBN Books, best known as the publisher of titles from bestselling authors such as Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Charo Santos-Concio, Vice Ganda, Alex Gonzaga, and Binibining Mia. “Queen of the Universe” is ABS-CBN Books’ first international deal.

Grab a copy of the “Queen of the Universe” at National Bookstore and Fully Booked branches in the Philippines and at Kinokuniya and Times Bookstores in Singapore. US-based readers may already pre-order a copy on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

For more details, like ABS-CBN Books on Facebook at www.facebook.com/abscbnbooks and follow it on Instagram @abscbnbooks

Tim Yap, Javi Martinez, and Sam Verzosa Join the 2023 London Marathon for Smile Train

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The world’s largest cleft-focused organization, Smile Train, and its signature endurance fundraising program Team Empower, heads to London for the world’s largest annual fundraising event, the TCS London Marathon. Together with 50,000 other runners, celebrity couple Tim Yap and Javi Martinez, along with businessman and legislator, Cong. Sam Verzosa take on the challenge of the 26.2-mile course for a good cause.

Tim Yap during the 2019 BMW Berlin-Marathon

“The genuine compassion and sustained service of our Smile Train ambassadors have been an essential part of our success today. Their collective efforts have helped give patients access to the care that they deserve and have extended the organization’s reach in providing safe and quality cleft treatment. We are grateful to Tim, Javi, and Sam for furthering their advocacy and pledging their commitment to this cause,” said Southeast Asia Vice President of Smile Train Philippines, Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano.

Maximizing fundraising potential with Team Empower

Since 1981, London Marathon events have raised over £1 billion in donations, maximizing revenues for charities worldwide. Boosting participants’ fundraising abilities, the marathon’s inspiring activities have been able to support causes from breast cancer awareness to brain research initiatives and children’s charities.

Javi Martinez during the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon 

Congressman Sam Verzosa during the 2023 Watsons Race for Wellness

Smile Train, one of the charities, strengthens its commitment to volunteerism and ensures that every child has the opportunity to lead a full and productive life. Together with 20+ other runners from other countries, Smile Train Team Empower will be represented by eventologist Tim Yap, his partner and events director, Javi Martinez, as well as Frontrow CEO and Congressman Sam Verzosa.

“For years now, I have been committed to supporting Smile Train’s cause and helping improve the lives of children with cleft. This cause is very personal to me and what drives me the most is my realized purpose and goals of helping the organization reach more patients in need of treatment. I want to finish strong and with my partner Javi by my side as well as my dear friend Sam, my confidence has greatly multiplied,” shared Yap when asked about his motivations for joining the marathon.

One of the team’s avid supporters is Miss Universe 2015 and fellow Smile Train ambassador, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. The beauty queen, who has been a long-standing representative of Smile Train and Team Empower in numerous fundraising events, advocated for the initiative and urged fans to support her friends in the upcoming marathon.

Pia Wurtzbach during her visit to Our Lady of Peace Hospital in 2017

“All this support is what makes Smile Train’s programs grow stronger throughout the years. Apart from comprehensive patient treatment, Smile Train also empowers medical professionals and local hospitals with all-around high-quality cleft care. Combined efforts have allowed the organization to go beyond surgery and allow children with cleft to not just live normally, but to thrive,” concluded Flaviano.

For more information on Smile Train’s projects and initiatives, you may check out Smile Train’s website at www.smiletrain.org/ and Smile Train Philippines’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SmileTrainPhilippines.

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About Smile Train

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.ph. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.

WWF Ambassadors Pia Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey champion WWF-Philippines’ Build Back Better campaign for Bicol fishing communities

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Philippine fisherfolk are among the poorest sectors in the Philippines and are among the most vulnerable to natural hazards and extreme weather conditions.

In 2020 alone, three consecutive typhoons devastated Lagonoy Gulf, heavily affecting fifteen municipalities. Whole fishing communities lost not only their homes but also their means of livelihood, their boats.

World Wide Fund (WWF) Philippines has worked with the fishers of Lagonoy Gulf for over a decade in establishing the country’s first sustainable Marine Stewardship Council-certified handline tuna fishery. As committed partners, WWF and the tuna fishing communities collaborated on ways to “Build Back Better” post-disaster, with the latest efforts anchored on replacing the wooden fishing boats that were lost or damaged during the typhoons.

The “Build Back Better” boats, co-designed by industrial designer Mark Victor Bautista and the tuna fishermen, is an innovation combining traditional know-how and state of the art/best practice design technology. The boats will be made of a combination of fiberglass and steel, making for sturdier hulls that can withstand increasing storm intensities. The boats will also have features that will help maintain the quality of tuna catch and support other conditions of the tuna fishery’s sustainable certification.

WWF hopes to raise Php 21 million to deliver 27 units of these Build Back Better boats. One new boat is equivalent in capacity to three traditional fishing boats, and would translate to support for more than 200 families in 15 municipalities in the Lagonoy Gulf area.

Celebrity couple and WWF-Philippines Ambassador Pia Wurtzbach and WWF-USA Ambassador Jeremy Jauncey went on a trip to Albay in late April to meet the Lagonoy Gulf fishermen and see for themselves how the “Build Back Better” campaign is helping fishers improve their livelihood by applying environmental sustainability principles. Pia and Jeremy also went on one of the Build Back Better boats to see up-close the benefits of its design and material.

The couple are staunch supporters of WWF and are known to be passionate about their advocacies.

“It’s high time that our local fishers have more access to stronger boats to make their living. The stories of our fishers represent the challenges faced by thousands of Filipinos who continue to work hard for their families, and we are inviting everyone to help them recuperate through the ‘Build Back Better’ campaign,” shared Pia Wurtzbach.

“This trip to the Lagonoy Gulf has not only been educational for me and Pia but also affirming for us. One boat at a time, we can help change the lives of several fishers and their communities through the ‘Build Back Better’ campaign,” added Jeremy Jauncey.

“We hope that many more people, companies, and organizations join in this Build Back Better campaign because of the long lasting and transformational impact we can make together. Our experience working with the Lagonoy Gulf fishers validates a model for sustainable fishing that has improved community livelihood. We all need to support communities that are at the forefront of addressing environmental issues,” said Ms. Katherine Custodio, WWF-Philippines Executive Director.

WWF-Philippines continues to explore new ways to help the fishers of Bicol as the organization moves further into long-term recovery and sustainability efforts. WWF is committed to its partner communities, most especially those that are in the frontlines of the dual challenge of nature conservation and climate change.

For parties who are interested in supporting the “Build Back Better” Boats campaign, you may visit Pia Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey’s SimplyGiving fundraising page at simplygiving.com/event/pia-jeremy-wwf or reach out to Campaign Lead Ismael John Cabigao (icabigao@wwf.org.ph).

To know more about WWF-Philippines and its initiatives, please visit https://wwf.org.ph/

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About WWF

The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines is an environmental non-government organization committed to create an impact on biodiversity protection and to respond to the climate crisis -towards a safe and just recovery. WWF-Philippines works with a host of partners including national and local governments, to co-create inclusive, innovative and interdisciplinary solutions that emphasize the role of science in the service of life. WWF-Philippines' focus is on scaled solutions with our partners to match the enormity of the tasks required to address the urgent environmental challenges facing the present and next generations of Filipinos. Its mission is "to stop, and eventually reverse the accelerating degradation of the Philippine environment – to build a future where Filipinos live in harmony with nature."

Pia Wurtzbach Finds Home in Avon

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach has taken over the world - the universe, rather - since her coronation, expanding her ventures and platforms both local and international and sharing her advocacies and travels on social media. While she accomplishes many things in her packed schedule, there’s nothing like being at home — space away from the spotlight is where she can comfortably be just Pia.

Two decades after her stint as a teen model for its cosmetics line, Pia finally comes home to Avon as the brand welcomes her as the newest ambassador for its Intimate Apparel line. “We are so excited to be welcoming Pia back,” shares Jamila Reyes, Avon Philippines’ Head of Beauty Plus. “She is honest and true, someone who always chooses the best for herself because she knows what she deserves and what will bring out her most authentic self.”

“To me, home is comfort and where everything fits perfectly,” Pia says. “That’s why whenever I’m in my Avon intimate apparel, I feel at home. I feel supported in whatever I do and most comfortable being myself.”

Just like Pia, you too can feel right at home wearing the no.1 Intimate Apparel brand in the country. Avon introduces new nude shades for its bras and panties, designed to enhance your curves and fit your body not just flawlessly, but comfortably. A standard across all of Avon’s intimate apparel offerings, the new nude undies are created with high-quality fabrics that are made to last, so you can trust that your Avon undergarments will give you exceptional all-day comfort and support for many years to come.

The new offerings feature a full range of nude tones created to match every Filipina’s skin tone, perfectly blending into whatever skin tone so you don’t have to worry about the clothes you want to wear or fuss about making adjustments during the day. You are free to be you, free to feel at home no matter where you are!

“I want to empower every Filipina to choose a love and home that she deserves,” adds Pia. With Avon’s Intimate Apparel Nudes, you can get the support and comfort you need to feel right at home with yourself.

Be your most authentic, realest self when you feel at home in Avon Intimate Apparel Nudes. Shop the collection today through www.avonshop.ph, Avon’s official Shopee and Lazada stores, or your trusted Avon representative.

About Avon

For over 135 years Avon has stood for women: providing innovative, quality beauty products which are primarily sold to women, through women. Millions of independent Representatives across the world sell iconic Avon brands such as Avon True Color and ANEW through their social networks, building their own beauty businesses on a full- or part-time basis. Avon supports women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and well-being and has donated over $1billion to women’s causes through Avon and the Avon Foundation. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avonworldwide.com.

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