Ni ROBERT R. REQUINTINA

MATAPOS mabigo ang planong pagho-host ng China sa Miss Universe 2018, muling magbabalik sa Manila ang prestihiyosong beauty contest, ayon sa mga source nitong Huwebes.

“At this point, Manila is the favored country to host the Miss Universe pageant. It it pushes through, the beauty contest will help promote the reopening of Boracay Island in Aklan,” sabi ng source.

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Sabi pa ng source dahil daw sa isyu ng live broadcast kaya naudlot ang pagho-host ng China ng Miss Universe.

“China does not want to air the Miss Universe beauty contest live. All these years, the beauty pageant has been airing live so the organizers could not imagine if the event is taped or delayed,” ayon sa kanila.

Dagdag pa ng source, “This time, the pageant will feature more about the Philippines. In 2016, many people were disappointed on the broadcast of the Miss Universe pageant because it did not really highlight the beauty of our country. But this time, the Manila broadcast will showcase wellness and tourism in the Philippines.”

Wala pa umanong venue at petsa para sa posiblleng pagho-host ng bansa ng Miss Universe 2018. Pero maaaring sa Boracay raw ito ganapin sa huling bahagi ng taon.

Noong Marso pumunta ng China sina MUO President Paula Shugart at MUO VP for Business Development and Marketing Shawn McClain para mag-ocular visit sa posibleng pagdausan ng nasabing patimpalak. Kasama nila si architect Richele Singson, anak ni dating Gov. Chavit Singson ng Ilocos Sur at ng iba pang opisyal ng Hangzhou. Ngunit hindi raw ito naging successful.

Kung sakali naman daw ganapin nga sa bansa ang pageant, hindi na raw ito ioorganisa ni Chavit Singson. “They are considering another group,” ayon pa sa source.

Noong Abril 14, ibinahagi ni Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo sa isang press conference, ang ideya ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na pagho-host ng Miss Universe 2018 sa isla ng Boracay.

“There was one Cabinet Secretary asking me na, ‘This is for you, Secretary. Will you be able to promote Boarcay once you close it? Mahirap i-promote ang isang island ‘pag sinara mo,” sabi ni Teo.

Ayon pa sa opisyal: “Boracay is Boracay... hindi na ‘yan kailangan i-promote.”

Ipinag-utos ni Duterte ang pagsasara ng isla ng Boracay sa loob ng anim na buwan mula Abril 26 upang malinis ang isla na tinawag ng mga opisyal na ‘sewer pool’.