Ara Mina asks Boss Toyo to help her auction ‘Mano Po’ gown

Ara Mina asks Boss Toyo’s help in auctioning the memoralbe ‘Mano Po’ gown. Image: Screengrab from YouTube, Pinoy Pawnstars/Instagram, @therealaramina

Actress Ara Mina sought the help of content creator Boss Toyo to help her auction the gown she wore in the award-winning film “Mano Po” to initially fund the building of an assistance center for people with disabilities.

Mina made a guest appearance in the latest episode of Boss Toyo’s “Pinoy Pawnstars” and brought the gown, saying that around 10 people have asked to buy it since she wore it in 2002.

The striking red gown is made unique and sophisticated with the backless style, almost revealing the bum. 

“Itong gown na ‘to madalas ‘to mag-trending kasi diba sila Beyonce, sila Kim Kardashian, nag-ganiyan na, naglow-back. Famous rin ‘yan sa mga LGBTQ+ natin lalo na kapag may mga gay contest. Gusto ko siya ipa-auction,” she said.

(This gown usually trends because Beyonce and Kim Kardashian also wore the same low-back gown. It is also famous among the LGBTQ+ community, especially when there are gay contests. So I want to auction it.)

The former “That’s Entertainment” star said that she will use the proceeds from the gown to build an assistance center for people with disabilities because she has a sister with Down syndrome.

“Plano kong magtayo ng assistance center sa Santolan, (I’m planning to build an assistance center in Santolan)” she shared. “‘Yung assistance center pwede tayong mag-assessment, therapy (it will be used for assessment and therapy). Pwede rin tayo magparalympics (we can also hold paralympics).”

In 2020, Mina went viral after netizens pointed out that the gown she wore in “Mano Po” 18 years ago was a similar to what global stars Beyonce and Kim Kardashian recently wore.

The 48-year-old actress won her first-ever Best Actress award in “Mano Po.” The film has won various awards including 12 awards in the 28th Manila Film Festival. 

Aside from Mina, “Mano Po” features a star-dubbed cast, headed by Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, Richard Gomez, Queen of All Media Kris Aquino, the late Eddie Garcia, and veteran actress Boots Anson-Roa.