SELLING of tickets for the upcoming Miss Universe pageant on January 30 will start on December 20, with the cheapest at P7,900 or $160, an official of the Department of Tourism said Monday.
During a media briefing, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said cost of tickets ranges from $1,000 (P49,700) for VIP seats to USD160 for general admission.
Eleven Miss Universe bets who attended the pageant’s kickoff party were also present at the event and talked about their trip to Siargao Island over the weekend.
All candidates raved about their visit to the surfing destination in the south, as well as the famed Filipino hospitality.
“We had a wonderful time, everyone is so friendly. Thank you for being so welcoming. I can’t believe how everyone here is kind, I really do appreciate it,” Miss USA Deshauna Barber said.
Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, Barber’s roommate in New York, told the candidates that the Siargao experience was just “a taste of more to come.”
“I’m proud that the girls had a great time. It’s just a preview of what will happen next. Girls, enjoy, it’s a once in a lifetime experience,” she said.
As for Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart, the Philippine hosting of the prestigious pageant is a “dream come true.”
“As I look around and heard everyone talking, I get emotional because indeed it is happening… it’s a dream come true,” Shugart said.
Shugart said spectators should expect that the pageant in 2017 is going to be a “very unique” show.
The 11 candidates are staying for a week. This afternoon, they will be in Intramuros, and Cebu on Tuesday (December 13) for photoshoots.
They were Miss Australia Caris Emily Tiivel, Miss Thailand Chalita Suansane, Miss Japan Sari Nakazawa, Miss Malaysia Kiranmeet Kaur Balijeet Singh, Miss New Zealand Tania Pauline Dawson, Miss USA Deshauna Barber, Miss Korea Jenny Kim, Miss Myanmar Htet Htet Tun, Miss Indonesia Kezia Roslin Cikita Warouw, Miss Vietnam Dang Thi Le Hang, and Miss Philippines Maxine Medina.
The Philippines previously hosted the Miss Universe pageant twice, in 1974 and 1994.