Filipina model Isabel Roces is named Asia’s “Person of the Year” by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a global animal rights organization.
PETA said Roces, a vegetarian since elementary school is a granddaughter of wealthy publisher Don Joaquin “Chino” Roces. She was cited by PETA for her numerous contributions to their animal welfare campaigns.
Other celebrities who have received the distinction of PETA’s “person of the year” are US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, and former “James Bond” actor Sir Roger Moore, among others.
The 28-year-old Filipina supermodel had appeared in various PETA advertisements urging people to go vegetarian.
Roces was inspired to turn vegetarian when she read books and saw a video about the cruel treatment of animals.
Since then, she has posed in a long mermaid dress made entirely out of lettuce leaves and has appeared naked and waist-deep in red chilis holding a sign with the words “Spice up Your Life, Go Vegetarian.”
These are part of PETA’s sexy and flesh-baring campaigns designed to catch the public’s attention and get them interested in animal rights issues.
PETA had commissioned numerous Philippine celebrities for their campaigns, including Yasmien Kurdi, Diether Ocampo, Ornussa Cadness, Alicia Meyers, and Raya Mananquil.
According to PETA, Roces has also staunchly avoided endorsements for meat or dairy, animal-tested beauty products or fashion accessories and garments made from animal by-products.
PETA also commended Roces for helping the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in their animal rescue operations during tropical storm “Ondoy” last September. She was able to solicit cash and bottled water donations for PAWS.
“Isabel Roces continues to impress us with her commitment to promoting vegetarianism and drawing attention to the plight of animals,” said PETA Asia-Pacific Director Jason Baker in a press statement.
PETA, an animal rights group was established in 1980, reportedly operates under the principle that animals should not be eaten, worn, experimented on, or used for entertainment.
It is the world’s largest animal rights organization with more than 1.6 million members and supporters all over the globe.
Educated at Poveda Learning School in Mandaluyong City and the Philippine School for Interior Design (PSID), Roces was bent on pursuing a career in Interior design when she was discovered by fashion designer Rhett Eala, a family friend who asked her to model his clothes.
Since then, interior design had to be placed on the back burner as modeling projects started raining thick and fast. “I’ve been doing this for years now,” she says.
“I enjoy it because it grants me the opportunities like travelling, I’ve also made a lot of friends and learned from them. I don’t think I’d enjoy doing anything else as much,” she said. (goodnewspilipinas.com/PNA)
Model Isabel Roces
