Pia Wurtzbach remarked that lifting the age limit in the Miss Universe pageant is a step in the right direction.

"These open the doors to so many more women na... nag-reach na age limit [before] or dahil they've decided to start a family hindi na sila nakasali ulit. So now our wish list is getting longer because now we have the former candidates [who] now are considering coming back and that makes it more interesting because then you see a new dynamic in a woman," she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

When asked who are the women she wishes would join the pageant scene again to vie for the Miss Universe Philippines crown, Pia responded: "[Si] Alaiza Malinao, gusto kong makita ulit. Nakikita ko 'yung mga posts niya she's very open. She shares about motherhood and what it's like. She's a mother of 2 now, I saw her recent posts. Ang ganda and she's really very Pinay, as in. I don't know if it is her goal, sorry Alaiza if I'm putting you on the spot but I'm sure I'm not the only one."

The former Miss Universe also said that she wishes for Christi McGarry to join the pageant scene again.

"[She] is also a good friend of mine who kinda pivoted her career into hosting, DJing, modeling now. She also has a few businesses. And she's very tall, morena, Pinay, ganda din so I am thinking, I think ka-age ko siya so it will be so interesting to see somebody who decided to let go of the pageants and now the restrictions are off, [who] decide to maybe 'I will try again,'" she said.

It was in September 2023 when the Miss Universe Organization announced that it was removing the age restrictions in Miss Universe and its associated pageants starting in 2024.

In the past, only women between the ages of 18 to 28 were allowed to compete for Miss Universe.  

READ: Pia Wurtzbach on why ‘Queen of the Universe’ is a ‘novel and not an autobiography’

Current Miss Universe title holder R'Bonney Gabriel made the announcement during the spring 2024 New York Fashion week show of designer Tanner Fletcher according to a report by Women's Wear Daily.

"What I love about Miss Universe is that they are always out first in line, looking for ways they can be more inclusive and better live up to the platform that they’ve designed for us. It’s a bold group of women in charge over here and you know what, a lot of people tend to follow what we do – it’s nice to be a standard-bearer, and I’m proud that we get to do this," R'Bonney said.