Miss U fashion show in Davao cancelled amid criticism
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has cancelled the scheduled Miss Universe fashion show in Davao City amid criticism from local designers on Wednesday.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
In a Facebook post, Tourism Undersecretary Kat de Castro said she has decided to cancel the said event at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City starting January 19 to prevent any more controversies.
“As head of the ancillary events of the DOT for Miss Universe, I have decided to cancel the fashion show in Davao City,” she said.
“This is to prevent controversies that may arise from the statement made by the local designers of Davao City. Thank you very much,” she added.
Davao Fashion and Design Council Foundation, Inc. (DFDCFI) on Tuesday criticized the hosting committee of the pageant after they tasked ‘non-Mindanaoan’ designer Renee Salud to dress up some of the candidates for the said event.
“Call it proper and befitting, the Mindanaoan designers have all the rights and benefits to best represent the distinctive fashion and style of Mindanao, in the first place,” the group said.
It claimed that they were not consulted regarding the decision and added that it felt insulted with the committee’s proposal to have them dress up local models instead.
DFDCFI said it will uphold its stand and will utilize all resources and capacity to have the issue properly addressed by the Miss Universe committee at the soonest.
Should it not be, this turn of events will continue to become a blunder for local pride of place, where the President himself is coming from,” it said. ## (Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin)
