At the press conference held today, Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo mentioned that the performer at the upcoming Miss Universe 2016 pageant in Manila is a popular celebrity in the US with a Filipino blood! Hmm. Will it be Bruno Mars? His mother emigrated from the Philippines to Hawaii as a child, and was of Filipino and Spanish ancestry. OMG! This is really exciting!
Bruno Mars did his first visit in the Philippines in 2011 then he promised to return to the country as he culminated the Manila leg of his Moonshine Jungle concert tour held at the Mall of Asia Arena last 2014. During his last visit in 2014, he also handed his US $100,000 donation to the youth victims of typhoon Yolanda.
Meanwhile, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach has confirmed that the Miss Universe pageant will be held in Manila on January 30, 2017 (January 29th in the US).
In a video on Department of Tourism (DOT) undersecretary Kat de Castro's Instagram, Pia said: "Hi guys! Mabuhay! I'm so excited to share with you all that yes, the Miss Universe competition is indeed happening in the Philippines, and I can't wait to show you all my beautiful country."
DOT Under Secretary Kat De Castro posted on her facebook account that starting November, she will have the busiest months in her life:
The Miss Universe pageant pageant was held in Manila for the first time in 1974, when Miss Universe 1973 Margarita Moran crowned Amparo Muñoz of Spain. In 1994, the pageant came back to the country where India's Sushmita Sen was crowned by Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres.
Congratulations Pilipinas!