Miss Philippines: Muslims Protest As Winner Weeps

Miss Philippines became the proud owner of the Miss World 2013 crown today on the Indonesian island of Bali, amid tight security.

The stunning 23-year-old Megan Young received the honor wearing a beautiful white pearl gown and promised the crowd she would be: “the best Miss World ever.”

It wasn’t all smiles and tiaras though, as hundreds of Muslim radicals held prayer services in a mosque in the capital city Jakarta, to express their outrage and anger at the event.

The venue where the finals took place needed to be under heavy guard. Riot police and water canons surrounded the venue in order to keep the contestants and spectators inside safe.

The final was relocated to Bali from its original location in Jakarta due to security concerns after thousands of protestors took to the street of the capital to denounce the competition.

The demonstrators urged authorities to move the event deeming it a “whore contest” and “pornography.” The small Muslim minority in the Philippines has grown and recently became more vocal in its radical views

One wouldn’t be able to tell from inside the venue walls though, as the atmosphere was electric. The New Miss Philippines also presents TV shows in the Philippines and is keenly involved in the world of digital media.

She said after she was crowned among much weeping, that she promises to: “just be myself in everything I do, to share what I know and to educate people.”

Fortunately the event passed without incident but the issue of hardline Islamists demonstrating and taking a more aggressive approach has many people worried.

For the most part the Philippines is democratic and adheres closely to the laws of free speech. It is not clear what steps will be taken in the future to prevent such violent demonstrations as were seen during Miss World 2013.