MANILA, Philippines - Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Wanda Teo has confirmed that the Philippines will be hosting the 2016 Miss Universe pageant after two decades. The coronation night will be held on January 30, 2017 possibly at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
"We have a president that comes from Mindanao and our Miss Universe is from Mindanao so I think this is the best time for us to do the Miss Universe here in the Philippines," Teo announced on Thursday, July 28.
To avoid traffic jams, President Rodrigo Duterte has requested pageant organizers to hold auxiliary events outside Metro Manila. Tourist spots such as Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro and Vigan are being considered as venues for pageant events.
While the pageant will cost $11 million, Teo revealed that the government will not spend anything for the event.
“The government is not going to spend any single centavo. It will be the private sector who would shoulder the expenses,” Teo added.
According to Teo, Kazuo Okada, a Japanese billionaire and chief of Tiger Resort and Henry Sy, the richest man in the Philippines, are among those who volunteered to sponsor the event.
Meanwhile, DoT Undersecretary Kat de Castro said that her department has contacted Shawn McClain, the vice-president of Business Development and Marketing at the Miss Universe Organization, to address some issues.
In 1974, the international beauty pageant was first held in Manila. Amparo Muñoz of Spain was crowned Miss Universe. Twenty years later, the pageant was once again held in the Philippines where Sushmita Sen of India emerged as the winner.
Last month, reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach paid a courtesy call on Duterte to persuade him to agree with the DoT’s plan to host the pageant in the Philippines.
--Mini, The Summit Express
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| The 2016 Miss Universe Coronation Night in USA. Photo Credit: Facebook/Miss Universe Facebook page |
To avoid traffic jams, President Rodrigo Duterte has requested pageant organizers to hold auxiliary events outside Metro Manila. Tourist spots such as Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro and Vigan are being considered as venues for pageant events.
While the pageant will cost $11 million, Teo revealed that the government will not spend anything for the event.
“The government is not going to spend any single centavo. It will be the private sector who would shoulder the expenses,” Teo added.
According to Teo, Kazuo Okada, a Japanese billionaire and chief of Tiger Resort and Henry Sy, the richest man in the Philippines, are among those who volunteered to sponsor the event.
Meanwhile, DoT Undersecretary Kat de Castro said that her department has contacted Shawn McClain, the vice-president of Business Development and Marketing at the Miss Universe Organization, to address some issues.
In 1974, the international beauty pageant was first held in Manila. Amparo Muñoz of Spain was crowned Miss Universe. Twenty years later, the pageant was once again held in the Philippines where Sushmita Sen of India emerged as the winner.
Last month, reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach paid a courtesy call on Duterte to persuade him to agree with the DoT’s plan to host the pageant in the Philippines.
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| Our very own Miss Universe 2016 Pia Wurtzbach. Photo Credit: Facebook/Miss Universe |
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| Wurtzbach takes selfie shot with President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo Credit: Facebook/Miss Universe |
