Speaking at the ceremony, Yong said she promise to be the best Miss World ever,” she said. 127 contestants showed up for the show which was moved to the island following protests by Muslim hardliners.
The event held despite threats from the Islamic Defenders Front to disrupt the contest. The group has demonstrated for weeks, calling on government to cancel the pageant because members say it goes against Islamic teachings.
Four candidates dropped out earlier, mainly due to illnesses, said Syafril Nasution, one of the local organizers. Young, who took the crown from Wenxia Yu of China, the 2012 winner, was born in the United States but moved to the Philippines at age 10. She is an actress and talk show host.
