MANILA - Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo is growing tired of the swirl of rumors claiming that the upcoming Miss Universe pageant will be cancelled.

So on Thursday in an interview with ABS-CBN News Mario Dumaual, she made a firm announcement to quash the many speculations, declaring that reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will crown her successor in front of a Filipino crowd.

"I would like to tell everybody that the Miss Universe [pageant] will push through," Teo said. "In fact, we are going to do a press conference on Monday. We will be telling everybody of the event and the auxiliary events. The sponsors will be there. Miss Universe president Paula Shugart and Pia will be there."

Rumors about the supposed cancellation found headwinds in a controversial social media post by Tourism Undersecretary Kat de Castro, as well as from the lack of an official announcement from the Miss Universe organization.

Several articles published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer also suggested that the recent tirades of President Rodrigo Duterte against US President Barack Obama may have contributed to the organizers' hesitation in awarding hosting rights to the Philippines.

Teo hopes that the negative speculations are not just part of politicking against the President.

"Dapat huwag na lang. Because this will create jobs, employment. Tourist arrivals, of course, will increase -- at hindi lang ito one time, this will be continuous because after the Miss Universe, the Philippines will be in the world map and people will start coming," she said.

Meanwhile, Teo also addressed a petition from leaders of various women’s groups asking the Miss Universe organizing committee to reconsider holding the pageant in the country.

The petitioners argued that holding the pageant in the Philippines next year would serve as a “reward” to what they believe was 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.”

"This is a free country, everybody can say what they want. But at the end of the day, they should also respect the opinions of others who would want the Miss Universe to be held here in the Philippines," Teo asserted.