Mister Pilipinas Worldwide 2025 contestants (from left) Michael Angelo Toledo, Kirk Bondad, Kenneth Cabungcal, and Raven Lasangan/EMPIRE.PH FACEBOOK PHOTOS
This year’s Miss Universe Philippines pageant has been dubbed the “puksaan” (eradication) edition because of the formidable seasoned delegates joining the competition. But the counterpart male tilt Mister Pilipinas Worldwide is just as exciting with Kirk Bondad facing off with other fellow international veterans.
The Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest released the photos of the official delegates to this year’s contest online, with familiar faces among the 27 participants.
Bondad will represent his mother’s home city of Baguio in his first-ever national male pageant. He was an apponted representative of the Philippines in the 2024 Mister World contest, where he finished in the semifinals. The Century Superbods competition that he topped in 2022 was not a pageant but a spokesmodel search.
“As you remember I joined another pageant months ago. And to be honest I just feel like I’m not over yet. I feel like I still have fire in my heart. So who knows what would flourish here? I hope for the best,” Bondad told a group of journalists and online content creators when he filed his application last month.
“My reasoning for me joining another international pageant might be a little associated with redemption. But I know myself very well. And in the next few weeks and months, hopefully I will center myself in a way where I feel am fully there with my passion and my energy in line with competing in another pageant,” he continued.
The Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest chooses the Philippines’ delegates to some of the most prestigious international male competitions–Mister Supranational, Manhunt International: Male Supermodel, Mister International, and Mister Global.
Bondad said he was presented with the opportunity to represent the country in the 2019 Mister Supranational contest, but contractual obligations prevented him from taking the chance.
“I really couldn’t manage the time. So ever since, I’ve been following that pageant. And they have a very good way of representing themselves in the digital aspect. And I could connect with that the most,” he explained, saying that he would love to compete in Mister Supranational this year.
Joining Bondad in the national competition are men who have garnered placements in international contests–2024 Man of the World first runner-up Kenneth Cabungcal from Dumaguete City, Mister Tourism World 2023 first runner-up Jether Palomo from Taguig City, and Mister Fitness Supermodel World 2023 third runner-up Michael Angelo Toledo from Cebu City.
Also in the competition is recently-proclaimed Mister Pampanga Raven Lansangan, who won in the 2017 Misters of Filipinas pageant and was a finalist in the 2017 Mister International contest.
Among the other familiar faces in the 2025 Mister Pilipinas Worldwide search is Misters of Filipinas-Model of the Universe 2019 Kevin Secoya from Bantayan Island and Mister Tourism International Philippines 2022 Kitt Cortez from San Juan.
The national search had a banner year in 2024, with Dom Corilla posting the Philippines’ first win in the Mister Global contest. Brandon Espiritu finished third in Mister Suprantional, while Kenneth Stromsnes was second runner-up in Manhunt International: Male Supermodel.
Justine Ong was in the Top 6 of Mister International, while Anthony Cunningham and Emerson Gomez advanced to the semifinals of the Man of the Year and Mister Cosmopolitan contests, respectively.