Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was recently appointed as the new UNAIDS Asia-Pacific goodwill ambassador.With her new role, the former Miss Universe will serve as the new face of the fight against the human immunodeficieny virus/accute immuno deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), more specifically in the Asia Pacific region. This is in line with the beauty queen’s advocacy against the growing epidemic of AIDS in the entire planet.
It can be remembered that Pia Wurtzbach has been very vocal about using her stature as Miss Universe to spread awareness in combating the deadly disease. Wurtzbach first mentioned her advocacy for HIV/AIDS during her Q and A at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant. Since winning the crown, she has been involved with organizations abroad invovled in the advocacy and supported by the Miss Universe Organization.
The Miss Universe 2015 has been conferred with the honor at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) by Steve Kraus, UNAIDS Director for Asia and the Pacific, Rappler reported.
“Pia has been brave and honest about speaking about young people and those too often left in the margins of society – men having sex with men (MSMs), transgenders, sex workers…People who don’t have the same opportunities in life need champions who have been for them and with them,” said Steve Kraus.
“I’m not an expert on this. I don’t have the cure…The thing is, I’m a messenger. I spread awareness. I put the ideas there for you guys to decide on what to do with the information,” Wurtzbach said.
She added: “What I really want to do is make people aware that it can happen to anybody. Literally, everyone in this room can get it including me if we’re not careful, if we don’t know the preventive measures. Please get yourself tested.”
“I will use my voice, my social media following (for this advocacy),” Wurtzbach stressed, saying that “people who are following me right now, at least when they look at me, they’ll know that (I am) advocating for HIV/AIDS.”
“Join me in getting tested! By 2030, AIDS will no longer be a problem here in the Philippines and around Asia.”