“It’s always been a dream of mine to be an ambassador for the Philippines and to promote tourism” — Ms. Universe Pia Wurtzbach
Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo warmly received Miss Universe Pia Alonzo-Wurtzbach during her courtesy call at the Department of Tourism on Monday, July 18, 2016. Sec. Teo expressed her gratitude to the reigning beauty queen for her support in the agency’s effort to host the upcoming Miss Universe contest in the country.
“Indeed, she has taken up the cudgels and leadership to make this happen,” Teo said of Wurtzbach.
“If this translates into reality, our tourism industry stands to gain tremendously. We are really hopeful that the President will grant our request, especially now that the private sector have come together to shoulder the production costs of Miss Universe,” she continued.
The two are expected to make a joint courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang Palace after the briefing at the DOT office.
Teo said the hosting of the international beauty contest would give a big boost to business and livelihood of millions of Filipinos, in line with the agency’s “shared tourism” program. She also emphasized that this undertaking would practically entail no expense on the part of the government
For her part, Wurtzbach expressed happiness in coming home once again and work as “an ambassador for the Philippines and to promote tourism.”
“And I will still continue on pursuing that goal of being a tourism ambassador, as I go throughout my reign, as I visit different countries around the world as Miss Universe. I will continue on doing that,” Wurtzbach said.
Like many Filipinos, she said, it is her personal dream, to see the pageant held in the country. “I think the dream of a lot of Filipinos, the majority of Filipinos, that someday we’ll see the Miss Universe pageant to be held here. And we are keeping our fingers cross,” Wurtzbach said.
After the brief courtesy call, Sec. Teo gifted Wurtzbach a wooden replica of the Philippine jeepney.
