TWO of the “most beautiful women in the universe” arrived in Manila before dawn Friday ahead of the welcome party for the 65th Miss Universe candidates to be held at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City on Saturday evening, the Department of Tourism said yesterday.
First to arrive was half-Filipina Tania Pauline Dawson of New Zealand who arrived 3:20 a.m. on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 219, followed by Miss USA Deshauna Barber, who came in at around 4:45 a.m. on board PR 103.
Dawson praised President Rodrigo Duterte for allowing the Miss Universe to be held in the country.
“I think he really sees the value of what Miss Universe means to the people. The Filipino people would love the Miss Universe, and for him to allow it to be held in the country really shows the support for the people. And that’s great to see,” Dawson said.
A first-time visitor to the Philippines, Barber is looking forward to meet President Duterte, so she could personally thank him.
“I just want to thank him for welcoming us to the Philippines, and how much we appreciate him in allowing the Miss Universe to be held here,” said Barber, who used to be a roommate of reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.
“Pia has told me a lot about what to expect, so I am hoping you guys can still surprise me. This country has been so wonderful to me since my being crowned. And the support that I received from the Philippines has been wonderful, so I am incredibly excited to be here and I look forward to all the festivities,” the five-feet, 10-inch beauty-pageant holder said.
“Steve Harvey will be hosting again. And I had a chance to speak with him when I went on his show. He’s gonna be amazing this time, he promised me,” Barber said.
Tourism Undersecretary Katherine de Castro, who accompanied the two candidates along with former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson as chairman of the pageant’s private partners, said the two ladies will be very busy in the one week they will be in the country.
“The girls will be here for a week and as we have announced we will soon be traveling to the different islands of the country so these girls can get a glimpse, a foretaste of how awesome our country is,” De Castro said.