MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – The Philippines’ Daily Inquirer is reporting that it is rumored the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant scheduled to be held in Manila this coming January is being cancelled. The report cited security concerns as well as Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s recent comments about the Jews as among the reasons for cancellation.

In recent weeks, the country’s Department of Tourism has denied the cancellation rumors.

Rumor or not, beauty contest-obsessed Filipinos are not happy. You can mess with anything else but not their beauty pageants. Miss Universe especially.

In a nationwide survey following the Inquirer report, Duterte’s approval rating nose-dived from 97% to minus 5%. Respondents overwhelmingly cited the cancellation rumors as their only reason for the negative rating they gave the president.

The Adobo Chronicles asked Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar about the Inquirer report and he said he has not spoken to Duterte about it.

Reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines meanwhile said, “No comment.”