Strict, elaborate security for Miss Universe tilt

As the country prepares for the Miss Universe pageant in Manila next month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday said the Philippine National Police was readying “strict and elaborate” security protocols against malevolents seeking to disrupt the event.

“Strict and elaborate security protocols will be in place to prevent lawless elements from doing something malevolent considering the pageant’s global attraction. The DILG and the PNP will prevent any untoward incident to happen before, during or close to and after the pageant,” DILG undersecretary for legislative liaison and special concerns Emily Padilla said in a statement.

The DILG official also conveyed the PNP’s assurance that the government’s physical, material and human resources will be mobilized to the hilt to provide security and collective measures in order to secure the organizers, participants, contestants, families and relatives who will be flying to the Philippines.

Padilla, also the designated point person for the security preparation of Miss Universe, said the DILG and the PNP, together with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and pageant organizers, have conducted several meetings and ocular visits of the main venue, the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“We have presented to them (DOT and representatives of the Miss Universe pageant) the security plans. And we have conducted ocular inspections of the big venue, and we will do ocular inspections in other areas that will be visited by the candidates,” Padilla said.

The contestants from over 90 countries worldwide vying for the Miss Universe crown will be flown to Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Vigan and Bohol to see the beauty of the country.

Padilla also underscored the importance of the event in promoting the country’s image as a tourist haven.

“We need it not just to further boost our tourism industry, as we expect a big number of foreign tourists including international media to be here, but more than that, it is about our beautiful country for tourism. It’s actually about the Filipino people.”

The PNP earlier assured the public that no one will be rounded up, displaced or relocated in light of the ongoing preparation for the pageant and that upon the President’s wish, streets will not be closed so as not to disrupt the people’s daily routine.

Padilla said the Philippine government showed last year that it was capable of providing security in big events such as the visit of Pope Francis in January and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in November.

It will be the country’s third opportunity to host the Miss Universe event. The first was in 1974 and the second, in 1994.