The next Miss Universe pageant will be held in Manila in January, a senior government official confirmed, dodging rumours that the Philippines had lost the event due to alleged petitions that called for a transfer of venue.
“After all that’s been said and done, I happily welcome the latest announcement of the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) through [2015 Miss Universe] Pia Wurtzbach that finally the Philippines will indeed play host to the much awaited 2016 Miss Universe pageant,” Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said on Thursday.
The coronation night will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on Manila’s Disodado Macapagal Highway on January 30 and participants are scheduled to arrive on January 13, said Teo.
In early October, representatives of the IMG Universe LLC, the owner of MUO, sent a team to Manila for the inspection of the other places in the Philippines where the pageant’s sub-events will be held, said Teo who enumerated high end resorts in Cebu, Davao, Legaspi in southern Luzon’s Bicol, Manila’s Intramuros, Palawan, Siargao and Vigan, northern Luzon.
Miss Universe host Steve Harvey could have a chance to meet Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, said another source who requested anonymity. Earlier, Duterte said he wanted Harvey out of the event because he had announced Miss Colombia, Ariadne Gutierrez, instead of Miss Philippines Wurtzbach as last year’s winner of Miss Universe. Harvey is under contract to host the event.
Talking about the security arrangements for the event and the contestants, Tourism Undersecretary Kat De Castro said, “We [have] held talks with the armed forces, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police for the event’s security plan in Metro Manila and all the provinces where the contestants will be going.”
“We’re trying to tour them everywhere as much as we can,” said de Castro.
Rumours of the event’s cancellation started when de Castro said on Facebook early October, “Those cancellation rumours on Miss Universe, are simply just that… rumours. Please wait for official announcements soon from MUO. Thank you.”
Rumour had it that the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, United States was the proposed venue.
Assessing the importance of hosting the event in Manila, the tourism secretary said, “This is one proud moment for all of us Filipinos to witness the reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach of Cagayan de Oro [in the south] as she takes her final walk and passes her crown in her home country, the Philippines.”
Wurtzbach was the third Filipina to win the title. Two other Filipinas who wore the Miss Universe crown were Margie Moran (1973) and Gloria Diaz (1969). Miss Philippines Maxine Medina, 25, an interior designer, is vying for the 2016 title.
The Philippines hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 1994 and 1974.
