TACLOBAN CITY– The coming of the Miss Universe Philippines candidates to the region will be a big boost to Eastern Visayas tourism industry.
Thus said Karina Rosa Tiopes, the regional director of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
“Eastern Visayas will gain for us the needed promotional mileage, nationally and internationally,” she said.
She thanked Leyte Rep. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez and his wife, Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez of the Tingog party-list as well as the Leyte and Tacloban governments as well as the provincial governments of Samar and the municipal governments of Basey and Marabut for hosting the events participated by the candidates of the prestigious beauty pageant.
Borj Roxas, project head of the Miss Universe Philippines, said that they are committed to helping areas outside Metro Manila their tourism industry reason they stage some segments of the competitions to these areas.
“Tourism is one of the pillars of the Miss Universe Philippines and our coming to Eastern Visayas, not just in Tacloban City, will show that the region is now really ready to welcome more tourists,” he said.
According to the organizers, this is also the first time they will shoot the national costume for the competition in the region.
The said segment was held last Thursday (April 4) at the Human Resource and Development Center of the Leyte Normal University, this city.
(RONALD O. REYES)
