PH welcomes delegates to 1st Mister Eco International tilt

After more than a year of waiting, the inaugural edition of the Mister Eco International contest is finally underway, and the Philippines is the proud host of the competition’s first staging.

Host delegate Kitt Cortez, who secured his national title in April last year, welcomed his fellow participants who come from different countries and territories around the world at their official residence at Lime Resort Manila.

The global male competition is from the same organization behind the Miss Eco International pageant, and in the same family as the Miss Eco Teen International, based in Egypt.

Dr. Amaal Rezk, the organization’s founder and president, is currently in the country to oversee the first staging of her male competition, which is also aligned with her two pageants’ thrust of promoting sustainability and environmental protection.

Cortez just came from Egypt for the 2026 Miss Eco International pageant where he was one of the judges of the preliminary competition and hosted the coronation night in Alexandria on May 22.

He was previously slated to represent the Philippines in the 2022 Mister Tourism International competition in Indonesia, but the contest did not push through.

Cortez was third runner-up in the 2022 Mister International Philippines contest won by Marion Jude Ordillano. He belatedly received the title Mister Tourism International Philippines.

But because his supposed debut on the international stage did not materialize, Cortez crossed over to the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest in 2025, where he earned his Mister Pilipinas-Eco International title.

Ordillano also crossed over to the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest after placing fifth in the 2022 Mister International pageant. He won the Mister Pilipinas-Global title in the 2026 national competition and is set to compete in Thailand later this year.

Cortez is joined by 18 other aspirants in the first-ever staging of the Mister Eco International competition, mounted by Empire Philippines, the same organization behind the Miss Universe Philippines pageant and The Miss Philippines brand.

The international male pageant kicked off its environmental mission with a “Biodiversity Conservation Seminar” conducted by Haribon Foundation with the delegates.

The participants also engaged in a cleanup drive, where they collected garbage washed ashore on the coast of Manila Bay. Details of the final competition will be announced soon. /ra