Rody not keen on host Harvey

MANILA, Philippines - They’d better find a new emcee for the Miss Universe pageant in Manila next year.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo disclosed yesterday that President Duterte told her he does not want the controversial Steve Harvey, who announced the wrong winner during last year’s Miss Universe beauty pageant, to be the host of the beauty tilt to be held in the Philippines next January.

“Actually, he (Harvey) is under contract for five years, I believe. So definitely, he’s again going to host the Miss Universe,” Teo said in a press conference yesterday in Malacañang.

“When I told the President about that, he reacted negatively. He said, ‘That cannot be.’ That was what he said. And he said, ‘I’m going to talk to the Miss Universe (organizers) that he should not be (the emcee). So that’s my problem,” she added.

Asked if Duterte was serious about his statement, Teo replied: “I don’t know if he was serious. But when he told me, he was not laughing.”

Harvey drew flak after he mistakenly announced Colombia’s candidate Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner of Miss Universe 2015 last December. The Philippines’ candidate Pia Wurtzbach actually won the crown, while Gutierrez was 1st runner-up.

Harvey apologized for his mistake, which he said caused him many sleepless nights.

He said he would suggest to pageant organizers the designation of a Filipina co-host to appease Duterte.

“I’ll suggest that we will have somebody from here, probably a media woman to host,” Teo said.

Teo said the Philippine government would not spend a single centavo for hosting the international beauty tilt. The group of former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson would raise the $11 million needed to fund the event, she added.

“I’m sure that after the Miss Universe, the Philippines will be in the world map. Everybody will be looking at us because during the Miss Universe contest, all the beautiful places, the destinations, will be featured,” Teo said.

Ancillary events would be held in areas outside Metro Manila to prevent traffic jam but the grand coronation night on Jan. 30 would be held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The candidates will start arriving on Jan. 13.

Teo also said the social welfare department would take care of street dwellers for the duration of the pageant.