It all comes down to this. Tomorrow night is when Mr Gay World Philippines will be chosen.
courtesy of Pageant TV
First off, below is a video of my Top 5 Predictions:
Now here are the Top 15 on my list in photos:
Truthfully, I have assessed the Official Candidates over and over again for the past two weeks (moreso when I sat on the panel of Pre-Pageant judges last September 18) and I could really see the competition among the 34 remaining gay men being dominated by five of them:
1) John Raspado of Baguio City – the tall and very good-looking Igorot who has the Mr. Gay World profile all over his features and qualifications. He can also speak his mind well, and needs to just steady his nerves during crunch time. The title is his to lose, in my opinion. If he fumbles in the most important part of the competition, the next likeliest winner would be…
2) Janjep Carlos of Cavite – the adorable chinito who never hides the fact that he went under the knife to achieve the look he now proudly displays to all and sundry. This guy can be a real scene stealer once you give him the chance to express his innermost self. He can have a way with words, and in a brief and concise manner at that. He is definitely the biggest opponent of the #1 on my list, but would not yet discount the plan of attack being readied by…
3) Bench Ortiz of Pangasinan – cleary the most familiar face in the competition, owing to his widespread popularity among fans and followers of KF Beauty Queens and the camp’s pageant contenders as a Fitness Coach. He definitely exudes a tempered flamboyance that will never go unnoticed. And I have always seen him as the Best in Swimwear among all comers. But how far will he go considering that there could be a silent killer in…
4) Khalil Vera Cruz of Zamboanga del Sur – this corporate yuppie who earned his latest business acumen from the Asian Institute of Management blends his very Pinoy facial charm with a generous dash of wit and a very articulate self. And boy, he is the most dashing when it comes to suits, tux and smart casual wear. Did I also mention that he is an active voice for HIV/AIDS Awareness #LoveYourSelf? But wait, there could be one more spoiler in the ranks and he is…
5) Leo Andrew Ponce of Batangas – the former business trader turned professional hair and make-up artist can also be a force to reckon with. He may not have the look that grabs you outright. But he definitely overflows in character. His appeal grows on you and stays firmly rooted. He is a vocal LGBTQi advocate who will will always fight for equality and give a whiplash to gay men who discriminate their fellow gay men.
These five are my strongest bets for the title, and I bet one of them will be our representative in Mr. Gay World 2017.
As for the remaining ten on my list, I would pick two (2) special competitors who may also pull a hat trick and surprise everyone come October 2. Sycris Brown of General Santos City and Ron Ramos of Palawan could be real spoilers if the breaks come their way. We’ll just have to wait and see if any cookie will crumble and give way to their entry to the big spotlight.
So for now, my top pick for Mr. Gay World Philippines is John Fernandez Raspado of Baguio City. He’d better deliver because I have a lot of faith in him. He is definitely in it to win it.
My top pick for Mr Gay World Philippines
Allow me now to give a huge thanks to the Head and Founder of Mr. Gay World Philippines Organization Wilbert Tolentino who has transformed the usually non-mainstream search to the national level with his brave and daring. He has the maverick personality that will pull out all the stops to make this competition a big success. Kudos as well to his senior team made up of Raoul Barbosa, Ryan Soto, Rodgil Flores and others for providing solid support from beginning to end.
To the successor of Christian Lacsamana, may you inspire even more.
Wilbert Tolentino (middle) with the Pre-Pageant judges (including yours truly) and some of the candidates
See you at the UP Theater this Sunday. It’s going to be one hell of a show that could approximate Miss Universe proportions. 🙂
