By Analou de Vera
New Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat on Friday said that the country’s possible hosting of Miss Universe 2018 pageant will not push through, citing budgetary constraints.
New Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat
(CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Naisip kasi namin naka-ka Miss Universe lang saka maliit yung budget, baka hindi muna (Considering that we just hosted Miss Universe 2017 as well as the limited budget, maybe we should not),” said Puyat over DZMM radio on Friday.
“Although pinag-isipan muna namin talaga... nakita namin yung budget medyo bitin (We thought about it, but we found out that the budget is limited),” she added.
Instead of hosting the beauty pageant, Puyat said the Department of Tourism (DOT) will focus on addressing other pressing concerns.
“We'll focus muna(first) on other things. Anyway, kaka-Miss Universe langnaman so bakasakana lang... (Anyway, we just hosted the Miss Universe. So maybe, next time),” she said.
Her predecessor, former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo,was setting her eyes on hosting the prestigious pageant as a way to re-introduce Boracay Island after its six-month rehabilitation.
Teo then said the idea of hosting anew the Miss Universe came from President Duterte during a Cabinet meeting.
The Philippines last hosted the Miss Universe on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena, wherein Miss France Iris Mittenaere emerged as winner.