Caballero Universal Filipinas Andre Cue. Image: Mister International Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — Just weeks after the Mister International Philippines pageant staged its coronation competition last June, fourth runner-up Andre Cue got a surprise assignment to an international tilt when he was appointed as the country’s representative to the Mister Teen International pageant in Laos next year.
But he now finds himself gearing up for an earlier overseas battle with his new designation as Caballero Universal Filipinas, tasked to represent the Philippines in the second edition of a Venezuela-based international male competition.
“The selection of Andre Cue is primarily due to the upcoming schedule of the Caballero Universal competition in Caracas, Venezuela, this November,” Mister International Philippines spokesperson Norman Tinio told the Inquirer in an online interview.
The pageant’s title translates to “Universal Knight” in English, and the contest is conducted mostly in Spanish, much like the female competitions Reina Hispanoamericana, Miss Continentes Unidos, and Reina Internacional del Cacao all based in South America.
Tinio said Cue’s initial assignment would see him competing in a contest tentatively scheduled in June 2023, yet the others in the Top 5 have their respective pageants “one after the other.”
Main winner Myron Jude Ordillano will compete in the Mister International pageant in the Philippines in October. First runner-up Mark Avendaño will be sent to the Mister Global contest in December, while second runner-up Michael Ver Comaling will represent the country in the Mister National Universe tilt next year.
Earlier this month, the Mister International Philippines organization also announced that third runner-up Kitt Cortez will represent the country in the Mister Tourism International contest in Indonesia in November, thus giving all of the national pageant’s Top 5 finishers their respective international competitions.
All the top 5 winners of the 2022 Mister International Philippines pageant, (from L) Andre Cue, Michael Ver Comaling, Myron Jude Ordillano, Mark Avendaño and Kitt Cortez, will represent the Philippines in various global competitions. Image: Philippine Daily Inquirer/Armin P. Adina
Lawyer Manuel Deldio, who heads the national pageant organization, told the Inquirer that in the event that Cue brings home the Caballero Universal title from Venezuela, he will not be sent to the Mister Teen International pageant anymore.
Tinio said Cue, an 18-year-old senior high school graduate from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, was chosen for the Venezuela pageant because “he possesses the qualifications and attributes required by Caballero Universal — good-looking face, body type, and youthfulness, among others.”
The Mister International Philippines organization is currently working on the national pageant’s 2023 edition scheduled in June next year. The regional screening for Mindanao is already announced for this month, and will take place at the Mega Screen of SM CDO in Cagayan de Oro City on Aug. 29. JB
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