MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Philippines will be hosting the next Miss Universe pageant on January 30, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Thursday rejecting reports that President Rodrigo Duterte was against the idea of holding the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant in the country.
Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo said quote: “We have a president that comes from Mindanao and our miss universe is from Mindanao so I think it is the best time for us to do miss universe in the Philippines.”
Duterte hails from Davao while reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach hails from Cagayan de Oro.
Teo said that the private sector will be shouldering production costs of the pageant estimated at 11 million u-s dollars which will be held at the Mall of Asia arena in Pasay City.
She was mum when asked regarding the names of private companies who have confirmed shouldering the expenses but assured that they will reveal them soon.
The Philippines already hosted the miss universe pageant twice, in 1974 and 1994.