23 December 2016 – The Department of Tourism (DOT) hosted a fashion show at the 2016 U.S. Travel Operators Association (USTOA) on December 07 held at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. Philippine Consul General Adelio Angelo Cruz was represented the Consulate General in Los Angeles to support the event.

The DOT fashion show was a resounding success featuring the designs of world class Filipino designer Rocky Gathercole.  The fashion event also featured Binibining Pilipinas USA titleholders Ms. Nicole Ceniza, Ms. Jacqueline Aluning and Ms. CheyAnne Knight and models from the Ford modeling agency of Arizona showcasing Gathercole’s designs. 

The 2016 USTOA was attended by over 850 representatives from tour operators from the U.S. including worldwide tour operators such as the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Australia, and Scotland.

In his remarks, Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz, welcomed and invited the audience to visit the 7,101 Islands that the Philippines has to offer and the opportunity to watch the 2017 Ms. Universe beauty pageant that will be on 30 January 2017.  The Philippines has hosted the pageant twice, in 1974 which was also the first time for the competition to be held in Asia and twenty years later in 1994. END