editor’s note

Who is beautiful? One of the many things that I love that the younger generation has brought to the fore is the expansive and inclusive de nition of beauty. When I started out in publishing, the Most Beautiful list showcased beautiful, accomplished young women. And while they mostly t the mold of the classically beautiful, they were also so much more. The list served to inspire people to achieve more and to put the spotlight on the women who were making waves in various industries, from the arts and sports to business, and so on.

The world’s concept of beauty began to evolve over the years, and MEGA re ected this. We featured women who de ed age, broke the traditional physical attributes of beauty, and on and on. We continue this tradition of evolution (and revolution) with our latest Most Beautiful list, which features absolutely stunning people who challenge stereotypes. And while they are undeniably attractive, our next generation of fascinating faces show that beauty is more than skin deep. Beyond their physical attributes, this list showcases their disarming charisma, con dence, ambition, talent, and advocacies. It was truly a joy for the MEGA team to meet all of them and get to know them better. Discover who they are by turning to page 64.

Fronting our Big Beauty issue is Anne Curtis, a woman that needs no introduction and has certainly made her way to the top of more than a few most beautiful lists. This is the lovely Anne’s 12th cover with MEGA (to date, she reigns as the cover star with the most appearances). Why is she here so often? Well, no one else comes close to what she has achieved and continues to achieve as a bona de icon of Philippine showbiz. Her appeal goes beyond the screen and stage. Imagine—it’s been been over 26 years and we still cannot get enough Anne. What is her secret? Turn to page 86 to discover why she’s truly a MEGA Woman for the ages.

And if that’s not enough beauty for you, consider this: MEGA’s top 10 list from this year’s crop of Miss Philippines Universe candidates. Did your favorite make the the cut? Discover our list on page 100. Lastly, we have OG supermodelsturned-designers Jo Ann Bitagcol and Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez talking about their lives, their inspirations, and their craft.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the all new, bigger, and better MEGA. I know that we have all loved creating every issue for you.

Enjoy!