MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – It’s official — according to the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT), the next Miss Universe Beauty Pageant will be held on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia in Manila, Philippines.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said that he does not want to spend money to host the international contest, but was assured that funds to stage the pageant will come from the private sector. 

DOT said confirmed that Japanese billionaire and chief of Tiger Resort, Kazuo Okada, as well as the country’s richest man, Henry Sy, will be among the private sector sponsors of the pageant.

Speaking from Las Vegas, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump also announced that if loses in the U.S. elections this November, he will buy back the Miss Universe Organization so that he could recoup the money spent in his presidential campaign.

Trump said that he supports the Philippines as the host and venue for the 2017 pageant and he hopes to make a personal appearance in Manila in January should he lose the election to Hillary Clinton.