MANILA, Philippines — Olympic medalist Hidilyn Diaz and Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa are listed among People Asia's People of the Year for this year.
Diaz, a three-time Olympian, was the first Filipino athlete to bag an Olympic medal since 2016. She won the silver medal of the women's 54 kg weightlifting with a total of 200 kg at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last August.
"If you're not willing to put in the hard work, to endure and fail, there's no point. You win only if you're willing to do whatever it takes," Diaz said in an interview with People Asia.
Verzosa also brought honor to the country when she won the Miss International 2016 pageant in Tokyo, Japan last October.
Besting 65 other representatives of various countries, Verzosa is the sixth Filipina to become Miss International.
"I took what life offered me and then I started taking control... And (God) guided me along the way. It just didn't prayers. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where I am," Verzosa said.
Other Filipinos included in People Asia's People of the Year are Asia's songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Emperador chairman Andrew Tan, award-winning actor John Lloyd Cruz, former UNESCO-Philippines Secretary-General Preciosa Soliven, construction magnate Alice Eduardo, business tycoon Henry Lim Bon Liong, Mang Inasal founder Edgar Sia II, broadcast journalist Ces Oreña Drilon, Celia Diaz-Laurel, Aivee Group CEO Z Teo, actor Christopher De Leon, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and TAPE Inc. President and CEO Antonio Tuviera. — Patricia Lourdes Viray