Pia Romero

Short Biography

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (born September 24, 1989), once professionally known as Pia Romero, is an actress, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2015 on December 20, 2015 after becoming Miss Universe Philippines 2015 at the Binibining Pilipinas 2015 pageant on March 15, 2015.Early life and background Wurtzbach was born in the German city of Stuttgart to a German father and Filipino mother. Her middle name "Alonzo" is her mother's maiden name, as per the naming practice in the Philippines and based upon Spanish naming customs. The family would settle, however, in Iligan City in the Philippines and would later move to Cagayan de Oro City in the country's Northern Mindanao region where she attended kindergarten at Kong Hua School and primary school at Corpus Christi.Her parents separated when she was 9 years old and she became the family's main breadwinner by doing modeling and acting. After being raised in the Philippines, she spent several years in England. She finished her secondary education at ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila and studied culinary arts at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan, Metro Manila. Wurtzbach speaks fluent Cebuano, English and Tagalog. She also speaks basic German, which she described as "enough to get myself a bratwurst"Personal life Though a practising Catholic and Marian devotee, Wurtzbach has openly supported views that are at variance with Catholic Church teaching, particularly the distribution of birth control via full implementation of the Philippines' Reproductive Health Law, and recognition of LGBT rights in the Philippines. Wurtzbach's advocacy for same-sex marriage became particularly visible in the wake of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, releasing an Instagram post declaring her support for the LGBT community. On 13 December 2016, Wurtzbach met with Manila Archbishop Luis Tagle for Caritas Internationalis at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros and received a personal rosary from Pope Francis.Wurtzbach supports gender equality. She stated on Twitter that she neither has plans to marry nor to have children anytime soon after her reign.On 16 January 2017, Wurtzbach confirmed to have been in a relationship with Filipino-Swiss race car driver Marlon Stöckinger. The two had reportedly started dating by October 2016.On 3 May 2017, Wurtzbach was named a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific.