President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
PRESIDENT Aquino appeared to be avoiding any talk about newly crowned Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach whom he briefly dated earlier this year, evading questions from the media and ignoring the good-natured ribbing of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa.
On Tuesday, when Ochoa introduced the President before his speech at the signing of the 2016 national budget at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang, he addressed the other officials with a crowd-pleasing, “Isang magandang Miss Universe sa inyong lahat (A beautiful Miss Universe to you all).”
But the President would not be baited. Responding to Ochoa, he said, “Executive Secretary na, kumpare ko pa, na nagmula ang relasyon natin sa aking mga magulang, sinira mo itong araw na ito (Executive Secretary, my good friend, with whom I share a relationship dating back to our parents’ day, you ruined this day).”
Mr. Aquino did not elaborate.
He also did not seem inclined to talk about the 26-year-old Wurtzbach, who was now officially the most beautiful woman in the world, or rather, the universe.
Cabinet members and journalists who were inclined to tease the bachelor President about his brief romance with the beauty queen held their peace, however, out of respect for Mr. Aquino’s privacy.
Reticent
At the 80th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Clark Air Base, Pampanga province, on Monday, President Aquino was as reticent and did not grant any interview with the Malacañang press corps, deviating from his usual practice on previous AFP Day ceremonies.
At 55, Mr. Aquino was likely to remain the country’s most eligible bachelor when he ends his six-year term next year. Despite regular updates on his various dates, he remains largely unattached.
At the Senate, a resolution had been filed commending Wurtzbach for her Miss Universe feat.
“The Filipina beauty queen’s positive attitude and strong determination to fulfill her dream of winning the 2015 Miss Universe title are indeed a positive example and great inspiration to her countrymen, particularly the youth, that no dream is impossible as long as he or she puts his or her mind and heart in it,” Senate President Franklin Drilon said in his measure.
Undaunted
Drilon said Wurtzbach was undaunted in her quest for the beauty title despite two previous attempts to win the top spot in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
The Senate President also praised the newly crowned Miss Universe for her statement that showed concern over issues affecting her country, including HIV awareness.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III also commended Wurtzbach on how she handled the wrong announcement that led to Miss Colombia being crowned the winner of the Miss Universe pageant.
Miss Universe host Steve Harvey had initially announced Miss Colombia as the 2015 Miss Universe and Wurtzbach as the first runner-up. After Miss Colombia had been crowned, the “Family Feud” host came back onstage to correct his wrong announcement, saying he had misread the cue card.
Through all the chaos that followed, the Philippine representative kept her poise, her big smile after initially being declared first-runner-up a reflection of her humility and grace under pressure, Pimentel said.
“It was destiny and determination because she had dreamed of the crown since childhood and after three attempts at the (Binibining Pilipinas) pageant. And suddenly the moment had come. She was just persevering and hard working,” the senator said in a statement. With a report from Leila B. Salaverria