The Philippines will host the Miss Universe pageant in January 2017, with the private sector shouldering the cost of the event, the country’s tourism secretary has said on Thursday.
Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo told newsmen, adding that the government will not fund the event the South-East Asian country hosted the beauty pageant in 1974 and 1994.
“The Miss Universe pageant will be on Jan. 30, 2017 in the Philippines.
“It will be the private sector who would shoulder the expenses,’’ Teo said.
Teo made the announcement following local media reports that President Rodrigo Duterte did not want the government to foot the estimated 11-million-dollar bill for the pageant.
The current Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, crowned in December 2015, is the third Filipino to win the pageant.
The other Filipinos were Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973. (dpa/NAN)