I've heard a lot about the iconic buildings and all that Dubai has to offer and can't wait to experience it for myself.
Pia Wurtzbach
Found my tropical paradise here in Bali.
I hope to meet a lot of people from different walks of life from different parts of the world.
I learned so much because I moved out of my mom's when I was 18. It teaches you to be responsible, to be independent.
I experienced bullying in different forms.
I've always seen our faith as an instrument to embrace our fundamental equality, before God and before our laws, and not as a license to discriminate.
We never considered Christmas a holiday because the budget was really tight, so Christmas was just a usual day for us.
When my parents separated, I became the breadwinner of the family.
Because I knew we were going to wear five inches during the pageant, I would train with six inches. So, when it was time to wear the five-inch heels, they felt like nothing to me.
I'm scared of injections and needles.
Everything I post on social media, they make a headline out of it!
There's really a lot of lessons that I've learned from being Miss Universe. I don't even know where to begin. Just being able to travel a lot and meet people from different walks of life. I don't think I've experienced anything like it or would experience anything like it.
I felt like I was the odd one out growing up in the province because I was half-Filipino and half-German, so I wasn't full-blooded Filipina and, of course, I was the tallest in my class and I felt kind of awkward.
Beauty and fashion are a form of expression and it doesn't have to come with a price tag. It depends on what suits each person.
Back in the States, they actually liked hearing my Filipino accent. People I meet there found it very endearing.
I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.
There is so much more to the Philippines than just Manila. The beauty is in the neighboring islands.
I've worked countless jobs from waiting tables to packing boxes in a paper factory - a testament that I hustled on and never gave up til I reached my dreams.
There is a difference between going under the knife and the stigma.
I felt calm when I was called first runner-up because I felt it was fate. But when they announced that I was Miss Universe, I had mixed emotions. I was happy because I really wanted to win but felt sad for Miss Colombia.
It's live television. People make mistakes and Steve Harvey was very gracious to apologize. I accept his apology and I think it speaks a lot about his character.
I'm very career-driven.
I think it would be a little bit difficult for two girls to share a crown.
For the last three years that I have tried, people are laughing at me and saying that I was trying too hard. And my answer is yeah, I really am trying hard.
I really lived and breathed Miss Universe.
I actually quite miss being called Philippines because in the pageant it's normal for us to be called our country instead of our names. If somebody goes, 'Philippines!' I turn my head and I know that's me. Now they go 'Pia' or 'Miss Universe.' Of course that's better. But I also miss that, being called my country.
I started modeling when I was 11 years old and acting when I was 12.
When I want something, I stop at nothing to get what I want, even if it takes a while.
I pay my taxes when I was with ABS-CBN as an actress; when I was with Binibini, so I'll continue on doing that as long as I'm earning money here, like everybody else.
I can't believe I'm gonna be immortalized in Madam Tussauds! Dream come true.
Nerves can happen to even the best of us. It's not easy to compete.
I think that the United States and the Philippines have always had a good relationship with each other. We were colonized by the Americans and we have their culture and our traditions even up to this day and I think that we're very welcoming with the Americans. And I don't see any problem with that at all.
If I were to be Miss Universe, I will use my voice to influence the youth and I would raise awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country which is the Philippines.
I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart.
To be a Miss Universe is both an honor and responsibility.
Life doesn't end when you get married.
You can be the CEO of a big company and still be unhappy. You can also pass an exam and feel like you've hit the jackpot. Success all depends on how happy you are.
I'm so glad I never lost my drive because turns out, I was right! Now I'm finally wearing the Philippine sash in the most prestigious pageant in the world.
I wouldn't be the same Pia if I won Miss Philippines on my first try.
I wouldn't join Miss Universe if I thought somebody else deserved it more than I do.
I'm looking forward to just enjoying my reign as Miss Universe.
I might be the next Bond girl, who knows?
I didn't want any other crown when I joined Binibining Pilipinas.
If you have a goal, you have to understand that it's not going to be easy. It might take a while.
It would be good to star in a teleserye, why not.
If there are any offers, opportunities to work abroad in the U.S., then why not? I'll definitely try that out.
The relevance of beauty pageants in the Philippines is that it gives people hope.
But I'm the type of person who, whatever you throw at me, I can make something out of it.
I was a nervous flyer before, but now I've gotten used to it.
When I want something really badly, whether it's good or bad, I never stop until I get it. It's part of the way I was brought up.
