Duterte tells Catriona: Enjoy reign as Miss Universe
President Duterte personally thanked newly-crowned Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray for making the country proud by winning the Miss Universe crown and told her to enjoy the perks and opportunities of her reign.
The President also invited Catriona to visit Malacanang for her official homecoming after fulfilling her duties and commitments as Miss Universe.
Duterte made the invitation during their almost one-hour private meeting at the Kalayaan Hall in Villamor Airbase, Pasay City Thursday evening before Catriona flew to New York to start her reign.
"[Gray] received advice from the President, telling her to enjoy the opportunity of traveling the world and meeting people from different cultures and ethnicities around the globe," the Palace said in a statement.
"Towards the end of their tête-àtête, President Duterte invited Miss Gray to visit Malacañang after her commitments abroad so she could officially celebrate her homecoming in the country," it added.
Malacañang also said that Duterte congratulated and thanked Gray for making the Philippines proud by bringing the Miss Universe crown back to the country
three years after it was won by Pia Wurtzbach.
"He (President Duterte) also wished her (Gray) to have a successful reign, and asked her to showcase the Philippines' beauty even more to the world," the Palace said.
Duterte also described Gray's quest for the coveted Mikimoto Crown as similar to Senator Manny Pacquiao's boxing matches, noting the intense and robust support from the Filipinos.
Duterte met Catriona around at 6:20 p.m. The President was joined by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat, and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
Malacañang on Monday hailed Gray for making the country proud and bringing to center stage the "genuine qualities defining a Filipina beauty."
"Ms. Gray truly made the entire Philippines proud when she sashayed on the global stage and showcased the genuine qualities defining a Filipina beauty: confidence, grace, intelligence and strength in the face of tough challenges," Panelo had said.
"In her success, Miss Philippines has shown to the world that women in our country have the ability to turn dreams into reality through passion, diligence, determination and hard work," he added.
Gray is the fourth Filipina to bag the Miss Universe crown after Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, Margie Moran in 1973, and Gloria Diaz in 1969.
Expiring franchise
Meanwhile, former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson opened up about rumors that the Miss Universe Philippines franchise has been acquired by his firm, LCS Group of Companies.
Singson revealed in separate radio interviews that the Miss Universe Philippines franchise has been offered to his company by the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) based in New York City.
Singson said the offer was made after the franchise agreement between the MUO and the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) expired recently.
"Pinag-iisipan ko pa. Pinag-aaralan ko pa. (I'm thinking about it. I'm still studying it),” said Singson. "Dahil baka dagdag trabaho iyan. Hindi kagaya yung sponsor, hindi masyadong ma-trabaho. (It might be additional work. Unlike being a sponsor, there is less work).”
If this pushes through, the Miss Universe Philippines title would have a separate national search outside of the BPCI camp.
So far, the annual Bb. Pilipinas beauty contest sends representatives to international pageants such as Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Supranational, Miss Grand International, Miss Globe, and Miss Intercontinental.
Since the 1960s, the BPCI has been sending delegates to the Miss Universe contest. Aside from Gray, the same group produced three other Miss Universe winners from the Philippines: Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973) and Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (2015).
North Korea joining
In January 2017, Singson funded the staging of the 2016 Miss Universe beauty contest in Manila. He revealed that he will be in charge of the 2019 Miss Universe beauty pageant in South Korea.
"Mula nung ako ay nag-sponsor, taon-taon tumutulong ako sa kanila. Kaya nung sa Bangkok ginawa, nakatulong din ako. Next year, na-arrange ko na sa South Korea at sasama ang North Korea,” said Singson. (Since I became a sponsor, I have been helping Miss Universe every year. When it was held in Bangkok, I also helped them. Next year, I already arranged it in South Korea and North Korea will join).
This will reportedly be the first time that North Korea will join the Miss Universe pageant.
Singson did not give any deadline when he would decide on the franchise offer. But sources at the BPCI said the annual search for the 2019 batch of Binibini queens will begin after the staging of the 47th Miss Intercontinental pageant in Manila on Jan. 26.
Speculations about the franchise made the news when Singson brought Catriona back to the Philippines last Wednesday on board his private plane from Bangkok, Thailand.
Catriona emerged from the plane without a Miss Universe sash because sources said her brief homecoming was a “private affair.”
Architect Richelle Singson-Michael, Chavit’s daughter and one of the seven all-female judges at 2018 Miss Universe pageant said Catriona is coming back to Manila sometime in January or February 2019 for her first major press conference and homecoming parade as Miss Universe.
Catriona is now in New York City to begin her reign as Miss Universe. She will attend a series of press tours starting Jan. 7.