Pia Wurtzbach to grace Miss Universe kick-off party in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo on Wednesday said reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will attend the kick-off party of the international beauty pageant on Saturday.

Teo said Pia will join at least ten contestants at the opening salvo of ancillary events leading to the Miss Universe pageant on Jan. 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The welcome party will be held at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.

"Pia Wurtzbach is extremely excited and so proud that this is happening in the Philippines during her reign for all the world to see," Teo said on Thursday.

Teo said the candidates who are expected to arrive for the welcome party are Miss Australia, Miss China, Miss Indonesia, Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss New Zealand, Miss Malaysia, Miss Myanmar, Miss Thailand and Miss USA. The will arrive early Friday and stay in the country for a week.

Miss Universe executives Paula Shugart and Rebecca Glassman arrived in Manila on Friday. They were welcomed by senior tourism officials Katherine de Castro, Ace Millar,  Frederick Alegre, Daniel Mercado, Reynaldo Ching and Malou Japson at the airport.

The tourism department said President Rodrigo Duterte is set to receive the first batch of Miss Universe hopefuls, including Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maxine Medina at Malacañan Palace on a date yet to be announced.

De Castro said, meanwhile, that accreditation for some 500 international and local media representatives will be administered by the International Press Center under the Presidential Communication Operations Office.

"We expect a deluge of international media coverage for the most prestigious beauty pageant. This is what tourism promotion is all about, taking front and center stage," De Castro said.

De Castro said the tourism department receives massive inquiries on tickets' availability which will be later on announced at the Miss Universe Organization website. — Rosette Adel