Tens of Thousands of Votes Were Cast at PETAAsiaPacific.com for Celebrities Who Exude Passion and Compassion

Manila — Singer and actor Geneva Cruz has been crowned the Philippines ‘ Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity for 2009 after a fierce, month-long battle that recently ended at PETAAsiaPacific.com. Geneva narrowly beat out Delara frontwoman and Eat Bulaga! host Lougee Basabas in voting for the title. Red carpet runners-up included actors Yasmien Kurdi, Chin-Chin Gutierrez, and Raym on d Bagatsing; TV pers on ality Cory Quirino; and FHM cover girl Alicia Mayer. Cruz also received more votes than international stars Natalie Portman, Hayden Panettiere, Russell Brand, Leona Lewis, and even Olivia Wilde, who recently took the top spot on Maxim‘s Hot 100 list.

Geneva has appeared on the covers of several magazines, including FHM, Uno, and, most recently, Maxim. Her fame grew after the first album that she released with pop group Smokey Mountain went double-platinum. Not long after that, her first solo album, I Like You, also went platinum. She has been vegetarian since she was 15 and made the decision to switch to a compassionate diet after she interacted with animals in their natural environment while filming a shampoo commercial. “[We] were in this location in Palawan where all the animals were just roaming free! Free! All I had to do was feed one of them and say ‘Natural!’ We kept doing that, take after take. … I couldn’t take it anymore. Not after that.” Now a staunch vegan, Geneva says, “For me, being vegan is not about the diet. It’s really about my love for all creatures.” Geneva is the longtime partner of former MTV DJ KC Montero.

“There’s no easier way to put passion in your life than to put compassion in your diet,” says PETA Asia-Pacific Director Jason Baker. ” Geneva knows that going vegetarian is the best thing that you can do for animals, the Earth, and your health. Plus, she’s living proof that being vegan keeps you slim and sexy.”

The complete list of vegetarian celebrities who were in the running in this year’s poll is available at PETAAsiaPacific.com.