“Jessy Mendiola is the Sexiest Woman in the Philippines!”
So went the post of the official Instagram page of FHM Philippines Thursday revealing that the 23-year-old actress has topped the men’s magazine’s coveted poll of the country’s 100 Sexiest Women.
Born to a Filipina mother and a father who is half-British and half-Lebanese, Jessy succeeds last year’s winner, Jennylyn Mercado, who slid into second place. Nadine Lustre, who surprisingly led the list early last month, settled into the third spot overall.
“Surreal. Thank you,” was Jessy’s simple reaction on her own Instagram page upon being informed of the good news.
Jessy’s crowning glory came just two months after she responded to her online detractors in a strongly worded post on Instagram that accompanied a photo of her wearing a skimpy two-piece bikini taken in Boracay.
“My body may not be perfect but that will not stop me from being confident with myself. I’ve had my fair share of body shaming comments. So I know how it feels like to be called “FAT” or “TUMABA”. Well, just to inform some of you “PERFECT” people. We all come in different sizes and shapes but that shouldn’t stop us from being happy with our own bodies,” she posted then.
“There are times that you will gain weight and there are times that you will lose it. It’s normal. It just shows that you are a human being. So whether you are curvy, malaman, skinny, too skinny, on the plus size or even on the plus plus size, you have ALL the right to be confident with yourself because that is who and what YOU are. If you don’t love yourself enough, who else will? Think about it. So go ahead girl, wear that bikini and FLAUNT it. After all, it’s YOUR body. Not theirs. Sabi nga ni Demi Lovato ‘What’s wrong with being confident?’,” her post concluded.
Jessy has yet to pose for the magazine’s cover, although FHM has asked her numerous times.
After freeing herself from the shackles of her tumultuous romance with troubled actor JM de Guzman last year, the career of the ABS-CBN contract star has been on the upswing, with well-received turns on the primetime teleserye “You’re My Home” and the “Just Got Laki” story arc of “Wansapanataym” even as she remained in the cast of the gag show, “Banana Sundae.”
She has been romantically linked as of late with actor JC de Vera, her co-star in the three shows as well as her leading man in Sherad Anthony Sanchez’s found footage horror thriller, “Salvage,” and actor-host Luis Manzano.
JC, who was with Jessy when she posted her sexy Instagram photos last May, was also reported to have actively campaigned for the actress during the voting period for FHM’s 100 Sexiest. Neither of them has admitted to being in a relationship.
Luis has also denied the rumor of a romance between him and Jessy.(E. Sallan, Interaksyon)
