ILOILO CITY – Organizers for this year’s Miss Universe Philippines has asked Iloilo City to host this year’s national beauty pageant.
“Iloilo City received a proposal from a marketing and production company to host the upcoming Miss Universe Philippines pageant in September,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas in a statement Friday, February 5.
This was pitched late last year when Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Occeña Mateo, an Ilongga herself, came home after winning the crown.
“I am very much open to this proposal. I am always supportive of activities that showcase the talents of the Ilonggos and open opportunities to create livelihood and promote local businesses including our tourism,” added Treñas.
Mateo, who hails from Balasan town in northern Iloilo province, represented Iloilo City in the pageant's national contest last year when she won the Miss Iloilo 2020 contest that was a side activity of last year’s Dinagyang Festival.
Mateo herself has been in the forefront of promoting Iloilo to host this year’s Miss Universe Philippines.
This is also aligned to the push in making Iloilo City as the country’s next major destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE).