Tourism officials are eyeing President Rodrigo Duterte to judge the Miss Universe Pageant in the country in 2017.

Despite prohibiting a judge from the host country to take part in the pageant, tourism Undersecretary Katherine de Castro said the Miss Universe Organization would likely “welcome” Duterte’s participation.

“I think Miss Universe Organization is very much welcome to have him in the show. Apparently, it is a rule for the Miss Universe Organization not to have a judge from the host country but I think if it’s the President, I think they will make an exception to the rule,” De Castro said in a Palace briefing on Friday.

The tourism official said she might personally ask the President about this during a possible meeting this December.

“I think his men are aware that we would like him to be part of [it], to judge it, or just even to watch it, but he has not yet given us a concrete answer altogether,” De Castro said.

READ: PH working hard for Miss Universe hosting to happen–Pia Wurtzbach

The Miss Universe Pageant will have a kick-off  on Saturday, December 10 at the Conrad Hotel.

On Friday, Ms. New Zealand, Tanya Pauline Dawson, and Ms. USA, Deshauna Barber already arrived in the country as more candidates are expected to arrive this Saturday.

“The girls will be here for a week and as we have announced, we will soon be travelling to the different islands of the country, so these girls can get a glimpse of how awesome our country is,” De Castro said.

The Philippines last hosted the Miss Universe tilt in 1994, which crowned Sushmita Sen of India as winner. The country first hosted the pageant in 1974, when Margie Moran relinquished her title to Amparo Muñoz of Spain.

Miss Universe-Philippines Maxine Medina will represent the country in the pageant to be held on Jan. 30, 2017. CDG

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