Joshua De Sequera transitions from titleholder to national director
Mister Pilipinas Worldwide National Director Joshua De Sequera. Image: INQUIRER.net/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines—Joshua De Sequera is slowly carving his own name, away from the shadows of her mother, ’90s top model Marina Benipayo, who has also gained prominence as a Binibining Pilipinas winner and as an actress. The young lad may have also taken the modeling and pageant routes his mother has trodden on, but now he is assuming a role that she has not taken.
De Sequera is now the national director of a new national pageant for men, the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest, that will choose the Philippines’ representatives to three of the most prestigious international male competitions—the Manhunt International Male Supermodel, Mister Global and Mister Supranational pageants.
In a social media post on March 10, the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide pageant announced De Sequera’s appointment as the organization’s national director, who will lead the selection of the Filipinos who will earn the titles Mister Pilipinas Supranational, Mister Pilipinas Global and Mister Pilipinas Manhunt Supermodel.
De Sequera himself is an accomplished pageant contender. He was the top winner in the male division of the 2019 Global Asian Model Philippines search and represented the Philippines in the 2022 Manhunt International Male Supermodel contest, in which he finished second.
The social media page also released an announcement showing the collaboration of Empire Philippines, Oxin Films and international Filipino pageant shoe designer Jojo Bragais, the official footwear provider of the 69th and 71st editions of the Miss Universe competition, for the new contest.
Empire has been sending the Filipino entry to the Manhunt International contest for two editions already, and also fielded the country’s representative to the Mister Global search in 2022. But this will be the first time that it has acquired the national franchise for the Mister Supranational competition.
Empire Philippines is headed by Jonas Gaffud, the creative and events director of the Miss Universe Philippines organization. He was also one of the judges in the Mister Global competition held in Thailand last month.
The physical screening of applicants for the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest has already started. Interested individuals may still go to the fourth level of the Estancia East Wing in Pasig City on March 21, 24, 27 and 30, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The competition is open to male Filipino citizens between the ages of 18 and 35, and at least 5’8” in height. For inquiries, send an e-mail to [email protected]. /ra
