Behind the woman with the crown is the man with the coin-- LCS Group Chief Luis "Chavit" Singson.
As buzz of the pageant dies down, people have become quite curious about how much it truly cost him to host the Ms. Universe pageant here in the Philippines.
For starters, Singson said a non-refundable amount of $ 1 million has to be paid upfront to the Miss Universe Organization.
He then had to spend $ 6 million (Php299 million) for the rights to hold the pageant, and another $ 6 million to pay for the production cost which includes accommodation, transportation, and meals for officials, staff, and the candidates.
Chavit also bought a M/Y Happy Life, a five-floor, 16-room luxury yacht with Jacuzzi and KTV rooms that brought the candidates to and from Batangas and Manila in the pre-pageant phase for $ 12 million or Php600 million.
The 75-year-old, former Ilocos Sur Governor said he can afford it because he has been running business way before he started in politics.
“My father was an engineer. We had a construction [business] when I was born. I worked to make it grow. So [my wealth] came from somewhere," says Singson.
Singson also got into tobacco trading. “That’s how I earned my millions when I was younger. I was able to buy the electrical plant of Vigan when I was only 23 or 24 years old.”
He added that his “net revenues amount to about Php120 million a month" and that he has "many businesses that earn millions.”
“The construction, I make billions; the transportation, I’m netting around Php100 million a month; I’ve earned Php1 billion from that in previous years, just for transportation."
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His other businesses include an upcoming commercial airline for domestic and international flights, a growing chain of banks in Puerto Rico, Los Angeles and Mexico called Vigan Banco International, and a new sports gear line from Europe.
And then there's Baluarte, an 80-hectare wildlife sanctuary that has become a famous tourist spot in his home province, Ilocos Sur.
Chavit was awarded his very own Mr. Universe sash at the post-pageant gala at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The token was given to him for his generosity.
This is the third time the Philippines has hosted the pageant after 1974 and 1994.
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