If I were to be Miss Universe, I will use my voice to influence the youth and I would raise awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country which is the Philippines.

I think that the United States and the Philippines have always had a good relationship with each other. We were colonized by the Americans and we have their culture and our traditions even up to this day and I think that we're very welcoming with the Americans. And I don't see any problem with that at all.

Nerves can happen to even the best of us. It's not easy to compete.

I can't believe I'm gonna be immortalized in Madam Tussauds! Dream come true.

I pay my taxes when I was with ABS-CBN as an actress; when I was with Binibini, so I'll continue on doing that as long as I'm earning money here, like everybody else.

When I want something, I stop at nothing to get what I want, even if it takes a while.

I started modeling when I was 11 years old and acting when I was 12.

I actually quite miss being called Philippines because in the pageant it's normal for us to be called our country instead of our names. If somebody goes, 'Philippines!' I turn my head and I know that's me. Now they go 'Pia' or 'Miss Universe.' Of course that's better. But I also miss that, being called my country.

I really lived and breathed Miss Universe.

For the last three years that I have tried, people are laughing at me and saying that I was trying too hard. And my answer is yeah, I really am trying hard.

I think it would be a little bit difficult for two girls to share a crown.

I'm very career-driven.

It's live television. People make mistakes and Steve Harvey was very gracious to apologize. I accept his apology and I think it speaks a lot about his character.

I felt calm when I was called first runner-up because I felt it was fate. But when they announced that I was Miss Universe, I had mixed emotions. I was happy because I really wanted to win but felt sad for Miss Colombia.

There is a difference between going under the knife and the stigma.

I've worked countless jobs from waiting tables to packing boxes in a paper factory - a testament that I hustled on and never gave up til I reached my dreams.

Because I knew we were going to wear five inches during the pageant, I would train with six inches. So, when it was time to wear the five-inch heels, they felt like nothing to me.

I've always seen our faith as an instrument to embrace our fundamental equality, before God and before our laws, and not as a license to discriminate.

I learned so much because I moved out of my mom's when I was 18. It teaches you to be responsible, to be independent.

There is so much more to the Philippines than just Manila. The beauty is in the neighboring islands.

I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.

I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart.

Back in the States, they actually liked hearing my Filipino accent. People I meet there found it very endearing.

Beauty and fashion are a form of expression and it doesn't have to come with a price tag. It depends on what suits each person.