Beauty queen-actress Pia Wurtzbach has apologized to National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee after a security personnel pushed him away at the Manila International Book Fair. 

The national artist attempted to greet the beauty queen, but one of her bodyguards intervened. The incident was recorded on video by ABS-CBN.

In the showbiz-oriented program "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda," the award-winning host announced that Pia has already contacted the National Artist.

"I felt bad for Ricky. Take away the national artist title. Ricky is one the most beautiful people I've met in my life. He doesn't like to call attention to this. Pero ang maganda nito ang balita namin ay nag-reach out na si Pia, even if it was not Pia's fault, to apologize, to say sorry na nangyari ito," Boy said.

(I felt bad for Ricky. Take away the national artist title. Ricky is one the most beautiful people I've met in my life. He doesn't like to call attention to this. But the good news is that Pia already reached out, even if it wasn't Pia's fault, to apologize, to say sorry that this happened," Boy said.)

"Naayos na ito pero leksyon po sa atin, dahil importante na tinatrato natin (ng maayos) ang number one, seniors. and number two, this was a book fair, this was a cultural event.

(This has been fixed but it's a lesson for us, because it's important that we treat (properly) number one, seniors. And number two, this was a book fair, this was a cultural event.)

"Actually may batas po eh, kung paano tinatrato ang national artists. But I want to pay tribute to Ricky who remains humble. Ikaw ang dapat naming tularan lahat. I bow to you," Boy added.

(Actually there is a law, how national artists are treated. But I want to pay tribute to Ricky who remains humble. You are the one we should all emulate. I bow to you," Boy added.)

Ricky told PEP.ph in an exclusive interview that the guard could have been more polite in that situation.

"Hindi kinakailangan na senior or hindi kinakailangang National Artist. Pero kung may taong nilapitan din ni Pia, kinamayan pa ni Pia, respetuhin niya (guard) 'yung tao at si Pia, kasi kilala ni Pia," he said.

(It is not necessary to be a senior or a national artist. But if there is someone that Pia approaches, even shakes Pia's hand, he should (guard) respect that person because Pia knows him.)

"Pero hindi niya kailangang hawiin kasi si Pia mismo ang lumapit at nakipag-usap. So, kawalang respeto 'yon hindi lang sa akin kundi kay Pia. Hindi in-acknowledge ng guard na in-acknowledge ako ni Pia."

(But he didn't have to break it because Pia herself came and talked. So, that's disrespectful not only to me but to Pia. The guard didn't acknowledge that Pia acknowledged me.)