BAGUIO CITY – Local organizers of the upcoming visit of some 24 contestants of the Miss Universe beauty pageant to the country’s undisputed Summer Capital will be shelling out at least P35 million for the various events lined up for their 24-hour stint in the city.
Appearing before the regular session of the City Council last Monday, Andrew Pinero, media officer of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB), said bulk of the expenditures of the local organizers is the $500,000 or P25 million cash that will be paid in four tranches to the Miss Universe organizers apart from the 12 percent value added tax (VAT), 2 percent income tax among others.
He revealed local organizers in the city will also take charge of the food and accommodation of the beauty contestants, the round trip chartered flights from Manila to Baguio and vice versa and the putting up of four flower-decorated floats which will be used by the Miss Universe contestants and reigning Miss Universe titlist Pia Wurtsbach of the Philippines during the mini-float and streetdancing parade initially scheduled from the Panagbenga Park up to the Baguio Country Club premises via South Drive.
However, Pinero said HRAB is making representations with the Miss Universe organizers allow the contestants to be paraded along the stretch of Session and Harrison Roads considering that local residents and visitors are peace-loving individuals.
According to him, HRAB officials led by its president Anthony de Leon, BCC general manager, and treasurer Ramon Cabrera, manager of the Camp John Hay Manor, already initially paid to the Miss Universe organizers the amount of P7 million which forms part of the fees to be paid to the international organizers.
Pinero added the remaining balance of the P25 million fee to be paid to the Miss Universe organizers will be paid in December while the two tranches will be paid before their scheduled visit to the city on January 18, 2016.
He claimed local organizers are also awaiting potential sponsors but there is still a need for HRAB to partner with the local government to find other possible means to generate sufficient resources to defray the expenses that will be incurred during the visit of the Miss Universe contestants to the city.
The HRAB official added the once in a lifetime visit of the Miss Universe contestants to the city will surely be treasured by the local residents and visitors, thus, the need for them to support the initiatives of the organizers to raise sufficient funds for the purpose such as the conduct of the Christmas bazaar within the 2-hectare Melvin Jones grandstand.
Pinero emphasized whatever funds will be generated from the conduct of the month-long trade fair will all be used to defray the expenses of the local organizers during the one-day visit of the Mss Universe contestants to the city, citing that among the events lined up for the whole day event include the mini-float and streetdancing parade, mini-golf tournament, strawberry picking and tree planting and fashion show featuring Cordillera-inspired attires for the promotion of the products of well-known local weavers among others.
By Dexter A. See
