MANILA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will host the Miss Universe pageant in January next year, Philippine Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo announced Thursday.
She told a news conference that the 2016 pageant will be held on Jan. 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
She said the government will not spend a single centavo, adding the private sector will foot the bill for the big show.
Teo said the Department of Tourism will coordinate with the pageant organizer Shawn McClain, the vice president of Business Development and Marketing of the Miss Universe Organization, to finalize the plans.
Earlier this month, reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach flew back to Manila to discuss with President Rodrigo Duterte the plan to hold the pageant in the Philippines.
The last time Manila hosted the pageant was in 1994.
