TOURISM Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo announced on Wednesday, May 2, that the Philippines is bidding to host the Miss Universe 2018.
Even in 2017, Teo said she has been getting word from the Miss Universe Organization to stage once again the internationally-acclaimed beauty pageant.
But she said the government did not consider it due to another huge event that 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 did not push through," Teo said in a press conference in Marco Polo Hotel on Wednesday, May 2.
However, for this year, she thought that it would be great to take it as an opportunity to introduce the rehabilitated Boracay Island.
The island in Aklan, Western Visayas is temporarily closed to tourists to pave the way for its rehabilitation, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Teo said Boracay will be brought back to its state from 20 years ago, when establishments along the coastline were strictly monitored and cleanliness was well-maintained.
Teo envisions the swimwear competition for the Miss Universe pageant in the rehabilitated Boracay to expose it to the visitors and spread word about 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 visit 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 Iloilo.