Pia Wurtzbach wants to build youth center for mental, sexual health with proceeds from Miss Universe mementos auction

As of August, the DOH said there have been 40,934 reported cases, representing 30% of all cumulative cases since 1984. The number, it said, indicates late detection, posing severe health risks.

Late diagnosis has contributed to a rise in the number of recorded HIV deaths. There are at least 8,200 cumulative deaths in the country since 1984.

From less than 100 HIV deaths before 2011, the annual fatality has increased to over 400 by 2015 and reached 879 in 2022.

As of August 2024, 464 deaths among HIV cases have been recorded, 28 of which happened during the month alone.

Auction idea through TV

Pia said the idea for an auction came in February this year when she was watching television with a friend.

"Nauso 'yung inaauction ng mga artista 'yung memorabilia nila. I thought to myself, 'Pwede ko kayang gawin 'to? Ano kaya ang gagawin ko sa makukuha kong pera?' she said.

Pia then checked her stuff, which she used to look at for quite some time, prompting her to walk down memory lane for a few minutes.

"I have so many memorabilia at home... there's so much that I saw. I said, 'There's something I can do with these.' Nanghihinayang ako na andito lang sila at ako lang ang nakakakita," she said. "May sentimental value sila sa 'kin for sure. Of course, they're important to me, but they're there... this is my chance to do something worthwhile and sustainable."

Pia then reached out to LoveYourself founder Ronivin Pagtakhan, or Vinn as he's fondly called, to come up with a plan.

"'Mama Vinn, may idea ako. The puzzle pieces are there. Pero di ko pa siya masyado mabuo. Can you help me?'" she recalled saying.

They conceptualized everything in an hour, even as the city government of Taguig, where Pia Resided, extended a helping hand.

"My gosh. I think I'm on to something here," she said. "It's so new to me. I feel like I've prepared for a wedding."

Notebooks, 'something blue'

Pia didn't go into detail about the items that will be part of the auction, except for the notebooks she wrote on during her Miss Universe journey.

Inside the notebooks are some questions she anticipated during her Binibining Pilipinas stint, which she won on her third attempt and became her ticket to the 2015 pageant that will see her crowned as the first Filipino Miss Universe in four decades. (The last was Margie Moran in 1973.)

"Kahit di sa 'kin 'yung tanong, sinusulat ko siya kasi baka matanong sa 'kin next time," she said, adding she also had drawings of the back of the stage, important pageant dates, and her iconic "Confidently beautiful with a heart" line.

"If you're a pageant fan, it's really interesting to see," she said.

At the tail-end of the press conference, Pia also teased a particular item that will be included in the auction.

"Clue: something blue," she said, much to everybody's excitement. Pia famously wore a royal blue gown designed by Michael Cinco during the coronation night.

Pia said the auction will be held online, allowing interested parties overseas to also participate. By doing so, it also meant the auction won't last just for a night.

She also has yet to set a starting amount for bidding.

Ultimately, Pia said she's not putting much focus on the appraised value of her possessions.

"I'm really trying to be sensitive about it," she said. "I don't want to make it about the money. Ayaw kong mawala ang focus ng tao. I want to focus really on the project."

Youth center

Pia said proceeds from the auction will be used to build a youth center in Taguig.

The center will not only focus on HIV/AIDS cases, but will also serve as a "safe space" for sexual health, mental health, and self-empowerment according to her.

While she doesn't have a specific timeline and budget yet for the project (since everything boils down to the auction's outcome), Pia said the city government will also provide them guidance in maximizing their budget and finding the best location, among other things.

"We don't want to be spending too much [but] of course, gusto rin natin sulitin 'yung maiipon natin," she said.

But more importantly, Pia stressed that they're not going to rush the project.

"I want to do it right. I'm not giving myself so much of a deadline na (for instance), dapat mapatayo ko na ito kasi 10th anniversary (ng Miss Universe victory ko)," she said. "If it takes time, then that's the way it's going to be."

Vinn, meanwhile, is hoping for the project to inspire other local government units.

"It's a paandar for other cities. We want them to be inggit," he said, prompting laughter from the crowd.

"You want ripples of positive change... slowly but surely," he added.

Pia said the auction isn't a one-time thing. She said they will think of other programs to raise money that will be used to support LoveYourself's programs.

"This is the long-term goal of LoveYourself," sh said. "Nagsisimula na rin kami sa youth arm, training and involving them because sila na ang next (na magpapatakbo ng programs)."

'Right thing to do'

During the press conference, Pia also turned emotional, trying her best to hold back her tears as she reflected on why it's important for her to fulfill the project.

"It feels the right thing to do," she said. "I always want to do the right thing."

She said she always returns to the moment when she returned to the Philippines after winning Miss Universe 2015, feeling the love from everybody.

With that, Pia hasn't only become a beauty queen but also a public figure with much responsibility to her fellow Filipinos.

"This is the least I could do to people who supported me, even those who don't know me personally," she said.

Even though she's become busier and is about to start a family soon, especially since she's already married, Pia vowed not to turn her back on her community.

"I just can't say no," she said. "Why not? Why wouldn't [I] do it? Siguro kaya nga ako inilagay dito, siguro kaya nangyari lahat 'yun sa 'kin... para malagay ako sa posisyon na magawa ko ang mga 'to."