CAGAYAN DE ORO—The local government here is planning to hold a big homecoming event for newly crowned Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach if pageant organizers would permit her to visit her second hometown.
Maricel Casino Rivera, chief of the Cagayan de Oro Information Office, said the planned homecoming is dependent on the approval of the Miss Universe pageant organizers who sets the schedule of the beauty queen.
“We are in gratitude that Pia considers Cagayan de Oro as her second home. This is why we want to honor her,” Rivera said.
Mayor Oscar Moreno said Cagayan de Oro is deeply honored that Pia considers the city as her home, next to Manila.
“Just like the homecoming we had for her when she won the Binibining Pilipinas title, we are looking forward on holding another one to our Miss Universe,” Moreno said.
Wurtzbach attended kindergarten classes at Kong Hua High School and later at Corpus Christi High school for her primary education. She stayed at Corpus Christi until Grade 4 when her mother, Cheryl Alonzo, separated from her German father, Uwe Wurtzbach. She was 11 when her mother brought her to Pasig City.
Wurtzbach grew up at the Golden Village Subdivision here and would frequently to nearby Iligan City where her father sold tasty buko bar ice cream.
In her interview with the local media during her homecoming early this year, Wurtzbach said she considers Cagayan de Oro her second home even if their family have no relatives in the city.
She said she was frequently teased by her classmates because of her height and that bothered her so much that she became an introvert preferring to be alone rather than mingle.
“At school, I was the wall flower. I was always the last person in the flag ceremony because I was the tallest. It was difficult to have a crush because you are too tall for the boys,” she narrated.
She said she had fond memories of her mischief during her childhood days.
Pia was born on Sept. 24, 1989 in Stuttgart, Baden-wurttemberg, Germany.
Her win elicited jubilation among young Cagayan de Oro residents who eagerly followed the Miss Universe pageant on Monday.
“We are so proud of this woman. Congratulations Pia!!! All your hard work and sacrifices have finally paid off,” Sarcy Corpus, president of the Jaycees here, said in her FB post.
Mary Mikaela Montalban said, “Way to go Pia! You never gave up to reach your dreams. You are an inspiration. So proud of you. You brought pride and honor to our city.”