Palace expressed support to Maxine Medina, the Philippine candidate for Miss Universe beauty contest as the international pageant will conclude on Monday.

“We convey our most heartfelt felicitations for all the Miss Universe candidates and especially cheer and throw our support for the Ms. Philippines candidate, Maxine Medina, who deserves all the moral boost she can get for working very hard and giving her best in a competition that promotes goodwill and friendship among nations,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a radio interview on Saturday.

“As the country's representative, Maxine is able to show the beauty, warm, hope and dignity of the Filipino. We are truly proud of her,” he added.

Abella encouraged the candidates to return and explore the beauty of the Philippines after the pageant.

“We are also grateful for this experience of hosting the pageant, assured and confident that 2017 Miss Universe experience has been joyful and memorable for all the candidates and our foreign guests,” he said.

“We invite them to come back and bring more of their friends to explore the various islands of the Philippines, ready to be astonished of the unexhausted beauty of each one and willing to be moved in every way by the fervent spirit of the Filipino people,” Abella added.

Authorities are set to deploy thousands of police, military and coast guard personnel as part of security measures.

As of Saturday, Abella could not say if President Rodrigo Duterte will watch the coronation day but he noted “it's going to be a fun experience.” Robina Asido/DMS