The Miss Philippines, Mister Pilipinas Worldwide bets to grace ‘The Filipino Festival’ ramp
The Miss Philippines and Mister Pilipinas Worldwide candidates / ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — The runway skills of the candidates of The Miss Philippines Culture and Heritage Celebration and the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide competition will be tested at “The Filipino Fashion Fest” when they showcase the creations of budding and established designers.
The event is part of the first-ever “The Filipino Festival,” a month-long celebration of Philippine culture and heritage. The fashion fest will transform the East Wing of Estancia Mall in Pasig City into a runway for the creations of the three finalists—Sam Lim, Lyndon Dalida, and Nathaniel Magsakay.
The three budding designers were chosen from dozens of applicants who submitted their entries to Empire Holdings Inc., organizer of The Filipino Festival, The Miss Philippines, and Mister Pilipinas Worldwide, and the same team behind the annual Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
The finalists will present the actual execution of the draft designs they sent for selection in a special fashion show at the third floor of Estancia Mall’s East Wing on Oct. 12 at 3 p.m. There, they will also share the runway with Mags Cue and Pablo Mendez.
Cue, national search consultant of the Miss Universe Philippines organization, is the brains behind her namesake women’s wear label, with stores located across the country. Mendez, meanwhile, is an esteemed designer who has clothed some of the country’s international pageant delegates.
The Filipino Fashion Fest is just the third event under the month-long festival. “The Filipino Music Fest” opened the celebration with the songwriting finalists showcasing their masterpieces in an evening of musical talent headlined by “Diamond Soul Siren” Nina on Oct. 5.
The festival also trained the spotlight on the country’s delectable and diverse cuisine, as well as the remarkable ingenuity of local artisans and craftsmen, in “The Filipino Food and Products Fest” that opened at the Estancia Mall on Oct. 6. The exhibition will run until Oct. 22.
Another event under the month-long festival is “The Filipino Film Fest.” The 10 finalists have already been announced, and their entries will be screened in a special red-carpet event at the Estancia Cinema on Oct. 18.
The Filipino Festival will culminate in the back-to-back staging of the final competitions of The Miss Philippines and Mister Pilipinas Worldwide on Oct. 24 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Thai actor Nattawat Jirochtikul will stage his Philippine comeback in the twin events, with reigning Miss Supranational Andrea Aguilera from Ecuador as special guest.
The Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest will be hosted by former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Andre Brouilette, while The Miss Philippines competition will have a trio of beauty queens as masters of ceremonies—2020 and 2021 Misses Universe Philippines Rabiya Mateo and Beatrice Luigi Gomez, and 2023 Miss Charm first runner-up Annabelle McDonell. EDV
