Singson said he was confident the current owners would eventually sell, even though formal negotiations have yet to begin. 

Arguing that beauty pageants remain deeply embedded in Filipino culture, alongside basketball and boxing, Singson said ownership would be “good for the country.” He said he was even prepared to lose money if the deal benefited the Philippines. 

The former governor said talks are expected to start next month, when former Miss Universe executives Paula Shugart and Shawn McClain are due to visit the Philippines. While neither side has confirmed a sale, Singson suggested the visit would be crucial in shaping the pageant’s future direction.

He also revealed that his daughter, Richelle Singson-Michael, would manage the organisation should a deal push through. Richelle previously chaired the host committee for Miss Universe 2016 in Manila.

Singson said his interest was triggered by the controversies surrounding the latest Miss Universe competition, held in Thailand. He cited allegations of flawed judging and poor management, saying the brand had been damaged to the point where new leadership was needed to restore credibility.

This year’s pageant crowned Mexico’s Fatima Bosch as Miss Universe, with the Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo finishing as third runner-up. However, the event was overshadowed by disputes behind the scenes, including a public clash between Bosch and Thai pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil over social media obligations.

Further controversy erupted when one judge resigned, claiming finalists had been pre-selected before the competition — an allegation firmly denied by organisers. 

After the coronation, fresh accusations surfaced against the pageant’s owners, with the Mexican co-owner alleged to be involved in drug and arms trafficking and the Thai co-owner accused of fraud . Both have denied wrongdoing.

Against this backdrop, Singson’s possible bid has drawn attention as much for what it represents as for the deal itself: a wealthy Filipino figure stepping forward to reclaim influence over a pageant that is in dire need of a reboot.

The controversy emerged after the coronation of Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, on 21 November, when accusations of irregularities in the competition’s outcome began to circulate, claims that have not been independently verified. Thai police are actively seeking co-owner Anne Jakrajutatip, who has been missing since a Bangkok court issued an arrest warrant in November on fraud charges related to alleged financial irregularities within JKN Global Group, the conglomerate that owns 50 per cent of Miss Universe.

Jakrajutatip’s absence from recent hearings has compounded the situation, and her company is set to be expelled from the Thai stock exchange on 27 December amid the ongoing legal proceedings. Meanwhile, Mexican authorities have also intensified their actions, with prosecutors reportedly seeking legal measures against Raúl Rocha Cantú, the organisation’s other co-owner, in connection with a separate investigation.

In addition to fraud allegations against Jakrajutatip, Thai police say they have formally received a defamation complaint concerning Bosch in Bangkok, demonstrating the broader judicial scrutiny surrounding the pageant. National and international observers have noted that the multiple legal fronts now facing the Miss Universe organisation illustrate the complex challenges that can arise when global entertainment brands intersect with legal, financial and regulatory systems across different jurisdictions.

The unfolding situation has also prompted organisational changes: Miss Universe has announced plans to relocate its headquarters from Mexico City to New York , citing legal uncertainty and operational concerns. The moves reflect broader implications for the pageant’s global operations, raising questions about governance and accountability within one of the world’s most recognised international competitions.

Many of the provinces carry names rooted in Indigenous languages such as Quechua, Mapuche, and Guaraní. Others have Spanish colonial or religious origins.

For example:

Even more interesting translations, such as “Very Pronounced Point Between Two Rivers” (Chaco) or “Prickly Plant Fruit” (Tucumán), come from Indigenous terms describing local landscapes, flora, or cultural practices.

Jakkaphong and JKN are accused of misleading him on the investment’s viability, according to the court.

JKN, which bought Miss Universe from IMG in 2022, has been in financial crisis since defaulting on bond payments last year. The company entered rehabilitation proceedings in 2024, declaring roughly 3 billion baht (US$93 million) in debt. It later sold half its stake in Miss Universe to Mexico ’s Legacy Holding Group.

Jakkaphong stepped down from all executive posts in June after the Securities and Exchange Commission accused her of falsifying 2023 financial records, though she remains the largest shareholder. 

Her location is currently unknown. She did not attend the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok earlier this month.

As with its co-owner, Miss Universe itself was dogged by controversy this year, including accusations of mismanagement, two judges withdrawing over alleged rigging, and a police probe into illegal online gambling promotions tied to event marketing.

Miss Universe has said the legal case is unrelated to its operations.

On Monday, JKN denied rumours that Jakkaphong had liquidated assets and fled Thailand. The company has not commented on the arrest warrant, and attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.

"The COMICI (Miss Côte d’Ivoire Committee), holder of the Miss Universe license, regrets to announce the withdrawal of its representative, Olivia Yace, Miss Côte d’Ivoire…  for personal reasons, from her elected mandates with Miss Universe, obtained at the conclusion of the 74th edition of the Miss Universe International pageant," it said in a statement on Facebook.

“Miss Olivia Yace, Miss Universe Africa & Oceania 2025, will formally hand over her Africa & Oceania banner to the organisation so that no one ignores it and to testify to this joint decision,” it added.

This year’s Miss Universe, held in Bangkok, Thailand, has come under criticism following a series of incidents leading up to the final that raised questions about contestant treatment and the competition’s transparency.

The event gained attention when Thai pageant organiser Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly reprimanded Mexico’s Fátima Bosch, this year’s Miss Universe, for not participating in a promotional shoot, reportedly calling her a “dumbhead.” The incident led to several contestants, including former Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig, walking out in protest .

Subsequently, two judges, Lebanese composer Omar Harfouch and French football legend Claude Makélélé, as well as the president of the selection committee, Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, resigned days before the November 21 finale.

Harfouch has alleged that the finalists and winners were predetermined. Judge Natalie Glebova, who won the pageant in 2005, expressed her support for Miss Thailand as the winner on Instagram and announced she would not judge again until organisers ensure transparency. 

The results faced criticism online, with many arguing that Miss Côte d’Ivoire was unfairly overlooked and should have won.