The president orders the DSWD not to hide the homeless when Philippines host the Miss Universe
After the previous administration was criticized on their move to hide the street dwellers from visitors from abroad during big events in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has order for an agency as the country prepares for the Miss Universe next year.
There will be ancillary events in other destinations in the country, and the Miss Universe coronation night will be held at Mall of Asia Arena on January 30, 2017.
On Thursday, Sept. 1, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said Duterte has given his orders already regarding the hosting of Miss Universe.
According to Taguiwalo, the president has told her not to bring the homeless living along the streets in other places in order to keep the tourists and visitors from other country from seeing them.
“Ang instruction ni Presidente, huwag sila itago,” Duterte said in a text message to reporters.
As we can recall, the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III was put to hot seat when the homeless were brought to a resort outside Metro Manila during the papal visit of Pope Francis in January 2015.
According to former Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, they took a hundred street families to a resort in Batangas during the papal visit, but she added that it was not a move to cover up poverty but a way to protect them.
Soliman defended that the trip was also a chance for the families to be given an orientation on the different programs of the government for them, including the Pantawid Pamilya Program (4Ps).
The same had happened when the country hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in November 2015 but DSWD said it was part of Modified Conditional Cash Transfer of DSWD.
When the Philippines host the Miss Universe 2017, beauty queens from all over the world will be in the Philippines for two weeks, thus many people are expected to be in the chosen venue.