TOURISM Secretary Wanda Teo said Friday she is counting on the sense of forgiveness of President Rodrigo Duterte and the Filipino people as well to accept Steve Harvey to emcee the Miss Universe pageant in Manila next January.
Teo admitted during Thursday’s Meet the Press in Malacañang that Duterte expressed hesitation on the likelihood that Harvey would host 2016 Miss Universe coronation night scheduled for January 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Teo said she explained that Harvey is on a five-year contract to emcee the pageant.
Harvey has been vocal in expressing his apologies for his mistake of announcing Miss Colombia as the winner before he realized that Bb. Pilipinas Universe Pia Wurtzbach was adjudged the 2015 Miss Universe.
“Miss Universe Pageant is four months away. That’s more than enough time to assuage President Duterte about his hesitation on Mr. Harvey’s hosting the event. I’ve known him for many years as our Davao City Mayor with a big heart for well-meaning people like Mr. Harvey, who did not hesitate to correct his mistake,” Teo said.
In a recent radio interview, Teo also pointed out, “I will personally speak with the President and may even ask the help of Pia to convince him to give Mr. Harvey the chance he deserves.”
She added, “the reigning Miss Universe, our very own Pia Wurtzbach, had the magnanimity to appreciate the way Mr. Harvey stepped up to redeem himself. I’m counting on the same sense of forgiveness and class-act among Filipinos.”
In the Miss Universe Organization Facebook page, a photo of Wurtzbach and Harvey is posted showing the question-and-answer portion of 2015 Miss Universe, captioned “#TBT to the night that changed my life. Steve Harvey, let’s do it again and changed (sic) someone else’ life.”
Meanwhile, Teo clarified the DOT is leaving to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to address the problem of homelessness that one news reporter said may be an “eyesore” during the Miss Universe events.
“I do not consider homeless and street dwellers as mere eyesores. They are rather a manifestation of the tragic poverty that the Duterte Administration is addressing right now, through the DSWD and housing agencies,” Teo stressed.
She gave assurances the DSWD under Sec. Judy Taguiwalo will implement humane and long-lasting programs and projects to uplift the lives of poor Filipinos in the streets.
The previous DSWD administration was condemned for hauling street dwellers and billeting them to a resort outside Metro Manila for the duration of Pope Francis’ visit and the APEC Summit last year.