A photo posted by Miriam Quiambao-Roberto (@miriamq888) on Jan 29, 2016 at 3:52am PST

MANILA – “Akong bahala, guys. Kalma lang (I’ll take care of it, guys. Calm down).”

Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach promised that she will do her best to make sure that the next edition of the international pageant will be held in the country.

This after leaders of various women’s groups sent a letter to the Miss Universe organizing committee, asking it to reconsider holding the pageant in the Philippines in January 2017.

They cited 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.”

• READ: Don't hold Miss U pageant in PH, organizers told

“Ipaglalaban ko ‘yan (I will fight for this). I want the competition in my home country!” the New York-based Wurtzbach wrote in a Twitter post on Monday night (Manila time).

Akong bahala guys. 😂 Kalma lang. Ipaglalaban ko yan. I want the competition in my home country! ❤️🇵🇭👑

— Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (@PiaWurtzbach) October 10, 2016

Just recently, Wurtzbach raised caution in drawing conclusions from mere gossip, referring to rumors that Miss Universe will no longer be staged in the country in 2017.

It was last July when Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo announced that the Philippines will host the next Miss Universe pageant. The pageant has so far been held in the country twice – in 1974 and 1994.

Miriam: Let’s focus on what we want

Miss Universe 1999 first runner-up Miriam Quiambao, meanwhile, believes that holding the pageant in the country next year will do more good than harm, citing the expected tourism boost, among others.

While she admitted that she is disappointed with the way “certain leaders” here have disrespected women, Quiambao stressed that Filipinos should “focus on what we want.”

“Sadly, we have heard stories and quotations of disrespect from certain leaders in this country… In fact, I chose not to elect certain officials just because of what they have said in the past against women,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News, without giving names.

“But I think holding Miss Universe nonetheless in the Philippines will do a lot more good for this country because it will bring in a lot of tourism. We can also use it as a campaign for empowerment of women.”

“Naiintindihan ko ‘yung side nila (I understand where they are coming from). But instead of trying to stop this, why don’t we just focus on what we want?” she added. “We want women to be held in high regard, with respect. We want women to be empowered. We want women to be educated. Why don’t we focus on that instead? The more we focus on what we want, all the more we will achieve it.”

Quimbao also expressed optimism about the male population, saying that statements made by certain people do not reflect the country’s culture.

“I’d like to think that Filipinos respect women here,” said Quiambao, who is now an inspirational speaker. “A lot of women here are being respected and being held in high regard.”