Miss Universe WANTS PH to HOST AGAIN

THOUGH hesitant at first, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo-Tulfo announced Philippines is now bidding to host the Miss Universe 2018.

Even in 2017, she has been getting words from the Miss Universe Organization to stage once again the internationally-acclaimed beauty pageant, but was not really considering it due to another huge event the country hosted recently, the ASEAN: 50.

"I proposed it to the president before but he said we should consider focusing on ASEAN: 50 first, so it was not pushed through," Tulfo said in a press conference in Marco Polo Hotel on Wednesday.

However, for this year, she thought that it would be great to take it as an opportunity to introduce the new Boracay which the Department of Tourism, along with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Local Government Unit temporarily closed to the public for rehabilitation purposes.

The official said that the new Boracay will be brought back to its state from twenty years ago where establishments along the coastline were strictly monitored and cleanliness was well-maintained.

Teo visions to set the swimwear category in the new Boracay to expose it to the visitors and spread word on how much it has changed.

She also shared that the Philippines has a huge chance to win the bidding as the organization itself is expressive on having this country host the pageant again.

"We are competing against Thailand but the organization really wants it staged in our country because of the good presentation from 2016," she added.

Unlike in other countries, Miss Universe events are only held in one or two destinations. In the Philippines, the organization was impressed because the tourism department had them wander through different parts of the country and made them experience different cultures as well.

"The candidates were very glad, most of them went back to visit places in our country for vacation with their friends," she said.

This time though, they would be featuring other cities which were not highlighted in the 2016 hosting including Camiguin and Ilo-ilo.