ASEAN Life Vol 1 March 2016 | Page 25

diate favorite after winning her national title. She has done modeling stints prior to her victory and is definitely a pageant pro. Another eye candy is Huong Pham of Vietnam. Aside from being a stunning beauty, her bubbly attitude also was a huge asset. Of course, the Philippines’ Pia Wurtzbach was also a strong contender since the start. After her 3rd entry in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant, clinching the plum spot was a game changer for the Miss Universe pageant. As the pageant season started, these Southeast Asian delegates became heavy favorites. They topped the leaderboards of various pageant websites. They were also among the most heavily talked about delegates via social media. Their fierce preliminary pageant performances made the predictions of a Southeast Asian delegate getting the crown stronger. The pageant night As expected, Pia Wurtzbach continued the placement streak of her country, leading the way for the other Southeast Asian delegates. Aniporn of Thailand also placed, breaking her country’s non-placement of 7 years. Anindya Putri of Indonesia came out of nowhere and continued her country’s placement. Seeing 3 Southeast Asian ladies on top was history as it never happened in recent years. After the swimsuit competition, Indonesia’s journey ended while both Aniporn and Pia moved forward. Aniporn donned the trendsetting white gown with a cape that made her a major standout in the evening gown round. However, it was Pia who took everyone’s breath away with her stunning royal blue gown with beautiful sequins at the back. Despite the controversy surrounding the late arrival of her Albert Andrada gown, she managed to showcase it with elegance, making her a major standout. The crowning After the evening gown competition, Aniporn did not make it to the next shortlist and Pia remained as the only hope for team ASEAN. Despite her nerves, Pia managed to answer both rounds of question and answer with grace and wit. Her final answer, where she promised to show the universe that she could be confidently beautiful with a heart, definitely sealed the deal. Though the crowning was marred with controversy as host Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner, the mistake was immediately corrected and Pia took home the crown, ending the Philippines’ 42-year drought for a winner in the prestigious event. A victory for team ASEAN Pia