Contract for 65th Miss U tilt hosting by PH signed

Contract for 65th Miss U tilt hosting by PH signed
By JAY PATAO
Photo by Lito Caleon

IT’S official. The Philippines hosting the 65th Miss Universe Pageant has finally been signed after weeks of anticipation.

Last Wednesday at the Rizal ballroom of ShangriLa Hotel in Makati City, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), represented by its vice president for business development Shawn McClain, signed an agreement with local partner organizations namely: the Department of Tourism (DOT), Okada Manila, Solar Entertainment and SM Lifestyle Entertainment.

The event was formally opened by LCS Holdings vice chairman Arch. Richelle Singson-Michael, the chairman of the host committee for the Miss Universe Competition, after which McClain formally announced the country’s hosting of the pageant for the third time in the last 43 years.
The Philippines first hosted the Miss Universe tilt in 1974 when the 23rd finals was held at the Folk Arts Theater. For the second time, the country once more hosted in 1994 when the 43rd edition of the tilt was staged at the Philippine International Convention Center.

McClain said before members of media that the Philippines will benefit from the 3-hour event that will be telecast worldwide from the Mall of Asia Arena on January 30, 2017 from 8:00 – 11:00 am where 90 delegates from as many countries around the world will vie for the coveted crown before an expected live audience of 15,000.

“We’ll be showing the world what the Philippines has to offer,” McClain said. “The Philippine government is not spending a single cent. It’s all private sector.”
“The long wait is over,” LCS Holdings president Luis “Chavit” Singson said in response to McClain’s remarks, eventually thanking all the partner organizations that have “committed themselves, worked day and night, even before MUO finally gave their blessing.”
“Not only will this event bring joy to Filipinos with its pageantry, but it is expected to deliver incredible economic benefits through tourism as we are given a platform to showcase our local attractions before half a billion Miss Universe fans worldwide.”
Aside from the televised finals on January 30, 2017, the delegates will also also participate in major preliminary events including the Governor’s ball, National Costume, National Gift Auction and Coronation Ball.

The delegates will visit Vigan, Baguio, Cebu and Davao and other regions.
Singson also thanked the DOT Secretary Wanda Teo, represented by Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre; as well as Okada Manila COO Tokahiro Usui; Solar Entertainment CEO Wilson Tieng; SM Lifestyle Entertainment president Edgar Tejerero; and Terry Alan Farris, managing director of Pass It Forward, the pageant’s philanthropy platform.

Also present at the contract-signing was Mercator Model and Artist Management’s CEO and renowned pageant trainer Jonas Gaffud. Gaffud and his Aces & Queens team have trained 11 Misses Philippines for Miss Universe including Venus Raj (4th runner-up in 2010), Shamcey Supsup-Lee (3rd runner-up in 2011 who hosted the contract-signing event), Janine Tugonos (1st runner-up in 2012), Ariella Arida (3rd runner-up in 2013) and Pia Wurtzbach, the reigning Miss Universe and third Filipina to clinch the coveted crown after Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973.