President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has declared Miss Universe coronation day on January 30 a working day, despite calls for him to declare a holiday, officials said.
Those who want to watch the event at Pasay City’s SM Mall of Asia Arena or on TV must take a leave of absence, said Malacanang, the presidential palace.
Earlier, Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo said a holiday on January 30 would be good “so everybody could watch the event”.
Another petitioner, Congressman Winston Castelo said it will give Filipinos “the opportunity to witness in their own backyard a contest where Filipinas have proven to excel and become certified champions of beauty and brain”.
Because of Duterte’s decision, Secretary Teo advised ticket holders to come as early as possible because of strict screening and inspection by police at the event’s venue.
“Traffic will not be re-routed,” Teo reminded ticket-holders.
Staying in a hotel would be ideal for ticket holders, advised Teo, but added that almost all hotels near the venue have been fully booked — more than 85 candidates have an entourage of 20 to 30 each.
Duterte was given a ticket, but has not yet responded if he will attend coronation day, Teo said.
In late December, Duterte advised organisers that street dwellers should not be hidden during the Miss Universe pageant.
“As far as I know, anecdotally, the president has said, ‘Oh, leave them there so that the people see exactly where we are. We are not hiding our true situation,” said Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella when asked about Duterte’s “official rules” for the event.
“When we presented it [event’s plan] to President Duterte, the first thing he said: ‘Don’t close the roads, don’t hide people. Let’s show that despite poverty, there is beauty in this country,’” Secretary Teo quoted the president as saying at the time.
Street dwellers near Manila City Hall and Baywalk on Roxas Boulevard — near the SM Mall of Asia Arena, were scheduled to be rounded up in early January.
Social workers and policemen had rounded up at least 100 homeless people in Manila in December, one month before the international event.
The social welfare department hid them in resorts during the visits of US President Barack Obama in April 2014; Pope Francis in January 2015; and Manila’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in November 2015.
