Several candidates of the prestigious Miss Universe pageant will be arriving in Manila on Fri, Dec 9, to lead a kickoff party a month before the country hosts its coronation night on Jan 30, 2017.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Teo told reporters that some candidates will spearhead a kickoff party at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City as a “preview” to one of the world’s most-watched beauty pageants.
The kickoff party will be attended by candidates from USA, Japan, Australia, China, Korea, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will also be present in the event, which will be arranged by one of the event’s main partners, Solar Entertainment Corp.
Teo said the hopefuls are expected to visit Siargao on Dec 11 and Cebu on Dec 12 to begin photoshoots and tour the cities at the same time.
“They will be going around places in the Philippines and tasting our food,” Teo told reporters in the sidelines of the Pasko sa Intramuros program in the so-called Walled City.
The candidates are expected to stay in the country until Dec 15 or Dec 16 before flying back to their respective countries for the holidays.
They are also expected to make a courtesy call with President Rodrigo Duterte if schedule permits.
Teo, however, clarified that candidates will start arriving Manila for ancillary events on Jan 13, 2017. —Azer N. Parrocha, Philippine News Agency (PNA)
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