Kazuo Okada, (L) chairman of Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. and Shawn McClain, VP of Business Development and Marketing at the Miss Universe Organization, take part in the press launch of 65th annual Miss Universe competition to be held in the Philippines on January 30, 2017, during a news conference in Makati city, Metro Manila, Philippines November 16, 2016.
REUTERS/Erik De Castro
Officials and organizers of the Miss Universe 2016 competition confirmed on Wednesday the next pageant will be held in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, in January 2017.
Miss Universe Organization Vice President Shawn McClain signed contracts with Philippine sponsors led by former governor Chavit Singson who will invest $11 million into the event.
Singson said he was glad to see the Miss Universe pageant "back home."
McClain said the Miss Universe Organization wants to host the pageant in Manila again for its "energetic" and "engaged" fan base.
The live broadcast of the competition draws 500 million viewers worldwide, including many from the Philippines, according to McClain.
The Philippines was the first Asian country to host the annual competition in 1974 and again held the pageant in 1994.
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| Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach |
(Reporting by Reuters TV in Manila; Editing by David Gregorio)
Source: Reuters, 11/16/2016
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| Shawn McClain, VP of Business Development and Marketing of MUO (far right), toasts with the representatives of private sectors that will provide financial backing for the hosting of the 65th edition of Miss Universe pageant. Photo credit: OPMB Worldwide |
***Side Note: I called the Miss Universe Organization early this afternoon to get clarification about the 65th edition of the pageant. I was transferred to the voicemail of MUO Public Relations Director, Jackie Shahinian, to whom I had previously sent two e-mails that remained unanswered (I also sent one to MUO President Paula Shugart). I left a voicemail message for Jackie to call me back. In my e-mails I had asked when MUO would send out a press release confirming the date and the venue of the next pageant. That was a week ago. I find it odd that MUO has not posted an official announcement, even though the current Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach has been telling the world via her social media that the 65th edition will indeed be held in the Philippines on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Usually, I rely on MUO's official press release to confirm everything, and I was not about to make any travel arrangements to the Philippines without first verifying with MUO, especially when a rumor arose claiming that the pageant would be cancelled.
Anyway, I am so relieved to know that the venue and date have been officially announced at today's press conference at the Makati Shangri-La.
And since Paula Shugart has not responded to my e-mails, and that she has not been visible lately in the last few months, I would guess that she has either resigned or has been dismissed from her position and that Shawn McClain has now taken her place.
- Rafa Delfin, 11/16/2016