Reigning Misters of Filipinas kings Nadim Elzein (center) and Junichi Yabushita (2nd from R) have already competed in global tilts this year, while Derick Allen Lauchengco (2nd from L) and Romel Ayag (R) have just received their international assignments last month. Fourth Prince Jaeru Ed Magbuhat (L) is the lone 2021 winner who has not been chosen for any contest abroad. Image: Philippine Daily Inquirer/Armin P. Adina
MANILA, Philippines — The Misters of Filipinas pageant has already rolled out its ninth edition this year, with five titles at stake on its coronation night. But this may change with the announcement of organizer Prime Event Productions Philippines (PEPPS) Foundation Inc. of a new international competition whose license it has acquired.
In a post on its official Facebook page on the evening of Sept. 7, the national pageant said, “the newest luxurious pageant in Thailand is now officially under Misters of Filipinas,” referring to the Man Hot Star International competition.
The global tilt, the Facebook post added, is looking for a “luxury brand model to meet the needs of the national business class,” with the main winner pocketing $81,830 (P4.6 million) worth of prizes, including $13,600 (over P776,000) in cash. He will also gain opportunities in modeling, acting and hosting.
To qualify for Man Hot Star International, aspirants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 years old, physically fit, have finished high school, not shorter than 5 feet, 8 inches in height, and should pass a background check to determine if they do not have any criminal records, children, and pornographic photographs or videos.
PEPPS director for licensing and expansion, Aski Pascual, told the Inquirer in an interview that based on their agreement with the organizers of Man Hot Star International, the Thailand-based team will choose a Philippine representative from the roster of 2019 Misters of Filipinas winners who have not competed yet.
Many of the 2019 Misters of Filipinas winners were not able to participate in their respective international contests because the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation or postponement of those global contests.
If the Man Hot Star International organizers cannot pick from any of the remaining 2019 kings, “we will select from the new batch,” Pascual said. In such a scenario, the 2022 Misters of Filipinas pageant will crown six titleholders.
But Pascual said that if the Man Hot Star International organizers are able to choose a representative from the roster of available 2019 kings, it is not clear yet if PEPPS will be allowed to choose the next representative to the Thailand pageant this early.
He, however, shared with the Inquirer that PEPPS is currently undergoing negotiations with another international pageant organizer, who expressed intentions of choosing their Philippine representative from the Misters of Filipinas pageant.
“Nothing is final yet, they have just submitted a proposal. They want to crown a [representative] from [our] 2022 batch who will compete in [their] 2023 edition,” Pascual shared.
As of this writing, the 2022 Misters of Filipinas pageant will select the Philippines’ representatives to the 2023 editions of five international competitions — PEPPS’ own Man of the World pageant, and the Mister Model Worldwide, Mister Fitness Model World, Mister Tourism and Culture Universe, and Mister Super Globe contests.
PEPPS already announced the representatives for this year’s Mister Model Worldwide and Mister Super Globe pageants — 2021 princes Derick Allen Lauchengco and Romel Ayag, respectively.
The 2022 Misters of Filipinas pageant’s coronation night will be staged at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City on Oct. 16. JB
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