Miss Universe mania is happening again after
Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo confirmed the City of Manila’s hosting of the 65th Miss Universe pageant on Jan. 30, Monday in the Philippines but Sunday, Jan. 29 in the USA.
In an impromptu press conference held last Thursday, Teo said that she got authorization from the Miss Universe Organization, which had earlier closed the deal with the Tourism Department, as well as the nod from the Office of the President Executive Secretary, to officially announce the Philippines as host of the next Miss Universe pageant.
Department of Tourism officials said they were just waiting for the official go-signal in the form of an administrative order to be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte before the end of the month. A memorandum of agreement will also be signed between the DOT and sponsors from the private sector to bankroll the $12 million-dollar cost of hosting the pageant in the Philippines.
This will be the third time after 1974 and 1994 that the country will play host to the most hotly contested beauty pageant in the world, matching that of Puerto Rico (1972, 2001, 2002). Only Mexico hosted the pageant four times (1978, 1989, 1993, 2007). The Philippines as host is seen as marketing coup for the tourism industry.
It will be recalled that the 1972 Miss Universe pageant gave Filipinos the doll-like Finnish Johanna Raunio, who made a movie Lorelei with Chiquito, and from the 1994 Miss Universe pageant, the Puerto Rican beauty Dayanara Torres, who became local TV’s dancing queen in the 90’s. Philippine representatives Guadalupe Sanchez and Charlene Gonzales finished in the top 12 and top six, respectively.
The Philippines’ hosting of the 65th Miss Universe may not augur well with Philippine bet Maxine Medina to win the Miss Universe title for the country. The last two times that Mexico hosted the pageant, its delegates did not even make it to the Top 10. In contrast, Puerto Rico celebrated with local bet, Denise Quiñones, making it all the way to the top, the only time that host country, outside the US, won the Miss Universe title.
“Mabuhay!!!,” reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach posted on Twitter relaying her sentiments on her answered prayers to bring for the third time the Miss Universe pageant in her own soil.
