MANILA - Singer Geneva Cruz was crowned as the Philippines' "Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity" this year, according to a recent online poll by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Cruz topped the list after hundreds of thousands of Filipinos worldwide voted on PETA's month-long contest, which officially ended on May 29. After voting, one winner is declared for each country, and two overall winners are declared for each region.

Cruz joins the ranks of other tofu-loving, chickpea-eating, and leather-shunning international superstars like Natalie Portman, Shania Twain, Alicia Silverstone, Josh Hartnett, Carrie Underwood, and Leona Lewis - all of whom had topped several "Sexiest Vegetarian Alive" lists in previous years.

Cruz, who has been a vegetarian since she was 15, is not only a certified vegan but a firm supporter of PETA. True to her advocacy, the sexy actress even insisted that her jungle-themed nude photo-shoot for "Maxim" Magazine last month should reflect her beliefs.

Cruz, the wife of former MTV host KC Montero, said she was inspired to turn vegetarian after she spent time in Palawan for a shampoo commerical. "We were at a place in Palawan where the animals could roam free! Free! And all I had to so was to feed one of them and say 'Natural!' We'd repeat that for each take," she recalled in Filipino.

"I think you help save a lot of lives if you are a vegetarian. For me, a vegan diet is not about dieting, it's about loving all living things," Cruz said in a statement.

Cruz, who has posed for other sexy magazines like Uno and FHM, got her big break in show business when her all-girl band "Smokey Mountain" received a double-platinum award for their album. Shortly after, she embarked on a solo career and is now one of the country's favorite female artists.

Other Filipino celebrities who were nominated on PETA's sexiest vegetarians list include Lougee Basabas (who came in a close second), Chin-chin Gutierrez, Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Yasmien Kurdi, Cory Quirino, Raymond Bagatsing, Carlos Agassi and Alicia Mayer.

Sexy advocacy

Rochelle Regodon, PETA Campaign Manager, said that the animal rights group had come up with the "fun and lively" list as early as 2001 to encourage people to consider vegetarianism and its various benefits. Although the winners don't get a prize, she said they at least have the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped animals.

"Studies show people who go on vegetarian diets can actually live 8 years longer than those who eat meat and are at lower risk for a variety of diseases. You're also doing better for the environment. Factory farming is actually the major cause of pollution in the environment, even more so than all the cars combined. So this is the best thing you can do for human health and for the environment," she said in an interview.

Regodon said that many of their celebrity-driven campaigns have succeeded in raising awareness about animal rights issues. As proof of their campaign's success, she said that over the years there have been more and more celebrities who have become vegetarians.

This year, "Meteor Garden" star Barbie Hsu and Bollywood hunk Shahid Kapoor were named PETA's 2009 "Sexiest Vegetarians" for the Asia-Pacific region, while Minnesota photographer Amber and Los Angeles filmmaker Monty won the "2009 Sexiest Vegetarians Next Door" award in the United States.

Asked what makes each celebrity winner "sexy", Regodon said: "It's their compassion for animals, without a doubt."

PETA's regional websites offer vegetarian starter kits, recipes, and animal-rights documentaries. The site also carries the "Pledge to be Veg" campaign, which encourages people to explore vegetarianism by going on a 30-day meatless diet.

PETA, an animal rights group 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.