I HAD been against the idea of having the next Miss Universe pageant in the Philippines, since the first time it was mentioned by Pia Wurtzbach. A transnational pageant, in all its extravagance and decadence, has no place in a country that is impoverished.

Thankfully, President Rodrigo Duterte said no to the pageant: “Dili ko. Gasto. I will not waste money on that.” (Mindanews, July 27)