MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles. Manila Bureau) – Several weeks ago, a group of Filipinos and others here and abroad signed a letter petition asking the owners of Miss Universe to pull the 2016 beauty pageant from being held in the Philippines.

The petition states:  ‘This reason is the objectionable, scandalous, and demeaning sexist attitude demonstrated by the newly elected leaders of our country, by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte, and his cohorts towards womankind.’

As expected the letter, signed by about 200 individuals, didn’t have much support from beauty pageant-loving Filipinos.

Well, the petition has officially failed. No less than reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines has confirmed that indeed, the international pageant will be held in Manila on January 30, 2017 (January 29, US time). Pre-pageant events are also reportedly being planned in cities like Baguio, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.

Disappointed but determined, the group of petitioners is reportedly setting its sight on the next target : Miss Earth, another major international beauty pageant based in the Philippines.

This time, the group’s reason has nothing to do with President Duterte but with this year’s Philippine representative, Imelda Schweighart,  who embarrassed the country by asking Miss Austria if Adolf Hitler was from her country;  accused the pageant winner Miss Ecuador of having fake nose, chin and breasts;  and made a huge deal about the yellow gown that she was supposed to wear had she been chosen a semi-finalist (she wasn’t.)

It seems that this group of petitioners has too much time on their hands.