Miss Universe 2013 third runner-up Ariella Arida is now a certified Kapuso after she was named one of the co-hosts of Willie Revillame in the relaunch of the popular afternoon game show “Wowowin” last Monday, May 16.
“Magpapasalamat po muna ako. Syempre wala po ako ngayon sa harap ninyo kung hindi dahil sa ating napakabuti at napakagwapong host. Thank you so much sa tiwalang binigay mo sa akin. Sobrang laking oportunidad ang ibigay mo sa akin. Sa management po ng ‘Wowowin’ mara-ming, maraming salamat at s’yempre sa management ng GMA 7, maraming salamat, Kapuso,” said Arida. “Sobrang excited na akong makasama kayong lahat.”
Revillame told the audience that Arida was the country’s representative to the 2013 Miss Universe contest in Moscow, Russia after typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) caused catastrophic damage in Samar and Leyte on November 8, 2013.
“Kung natatandaan nyo po ’yung 2013 Miss Universe, ito po ’yung time ng Yolanda. Medyo masakit sa pakiramdam ko dahil that time naghihirap ’yung bansa natin. Ang ginawa ko ay motivation para makuha ‘yung korona. Pero Top 5 pa rin at kahit papaano nagbigay tayo ng hope sa ating kababayan,” the beauty queen from Alaminos, Laguna said.
Comedian Bentong Brotamante welcomed the former beauty queen and gave her a bouquet of flowers. Arida also received a two-layered Miss Universe inspired cake from her co-hosts.
On May 2, the game show went off the air for two weeks following the request of Revillame for a short vacation and to pave the way for the special coverage of the 2016 national elections.
Arida, 27, joins other co-hosts of the game show namely Janelle Tee, Yvette Coral, Donita Nose, Jeff Vazquez, Chokla Gaston, and Rosette. She earned a degree in chemistry at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna. She knows how to make a bomb.
“Wowowin” was launched on May 10, 2015. It already won the Philippine Movie Press Club Star Awards for TV as Best Game Show and Best Game Show Host (tied with Luis Manzano for Kapamilya “Deal or No Deal”).