Part 1: The Biggest & Most Controversial Pageant Stories for Year 2015

Year 2015 would always be one of the most memorable for Pinoy pageant fans. A lot of exciting things happened especially in December when three of the world’s biggest pageants were scheduled one after the other in succession. Records were broken and pageant history was rewritten in one of the most talked- about pageant years ever.

Let’s take another look at the past 12 months as we count down Year 2016's biggest pageant stories

 10 DONALD TRUMP LETS GO OF MISS UNIVERSE American billionaire Donald Trump had to let go of his co- ownership of Miss Universe Org pageants, namely; Miss Universe, Miss USA & Miss Teen USA after a racial slur directed towards Mexicans and to Latinos in general led to sponsorship withdrawal & NBC’s TV broadcast cancellation of Miss USA 2015.

WME/ IMG, top talent, artist & event management specialist, eventually bought the rights to Miss Universe

 Donald Trump with Paulina Vega, his last Miss Universe

9 PIA WURTZBACH WINS TOP BINIBINI TITLE AFTER THIRD TRY Getting inspiration from MJ Lastimosa, poster girl for persistence, perseverance & patience and who won the Miss Universe Philippines crown on her third try, Pia Wurtzbach enlisted for her third & final attempt at bagging the right to represent the Philippines in the most coveted pageant title in the entire universe.

Pia ignored her bashers &  forgot her heartbreaking loss at the 2014 Bb Pilipinas Pageant to sign up for Bb Pilipinas on her third and final attempt before she aged out. 

It was third times the charm for the Cagayan de Oro native. Right after her Bb Pilipinas 2015 triumph, she gave her 100%  focus and committed herself to a grueling & punishing training that eventually paid off 

 Pia reacts after clinching the top Bb Pilipinas crown

8 MISTER INTERNATIONAL STAGES 1OTH EDITION IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES Mister International cemented its status as the world’s most prestigious male beauty competition when it successfully staged the edition of the pageant in Manila, Philippines a couple of months back.

The pageant which attracted a top- caliber batch of gorgeous young men selected a very deserving winner from Switzerland whose victory was well- received by pageant fans all over the world.

 Pedro Mendes of Switzerland is Mister International 2015

UP NEXT: Numbers 7- 5 as we continue the countdown for the biggest pageant stories for year 2015

Why Mr Switzerland is Mister International 2015

Just as we usher in the month of December, we also welcome the brand- new Mister International whose wholesome and dropdead gorgeousness fits the mold of the 10 year old pageant’s previous winners. 

Pedro Mendes reacts after being named the winner

Pedro Mendes, Switzerland’s very first entrant to the pageant was not among the pre- pageant favorites but when he finally showed up especially during the Press Presentation, he was immediately installed by many pageant websites and blogspots including Your Roving Eye as one of the solid picks for the title.

Although Your Roving Eye is ecstatic that two of his final five bets were also the last two men standing, he still can’t get over that Spain’s journey would stop at the Top 15.

Sexy Swiss Sensation

and then there were two

 L-R: 3rd RU Panama, 4th RU Czech Rep, Switzerland, 1st RU Brazil 2nd RU Korea 

RUNNERS UP Rounding out Mister International 2015’s court: 1st RU Mister Brazil, Anderson Tomazini, 2nd RU Mister Korea, Sang-Jin Lee, 3rd RU Mister Panama, Julian Torres & 4th RU Mister Czech Republic, Jakub Kraus

‪‎All 36 delegates appeared in their national costumes, red swimwear & formal wear during the pageant finals held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila before the field was narrowed down to the Top Fifteen, whittled further to the Top Ten before the Final Five were determined. 

The Top Ten 

The rest of the Top Ten qualifiers were Venezuela, Australia, Indonesia, Puerto Rico and Philippines.

Those who made the Top Fifteen were Sweden, Lebanon, China, Mexico & Spain.

As in many contests, there would be heavy favorites who won’t make it like Dominican Republic and Italy who didn’t even advance to the Top Fifteen. Overall, it was a good show. 

 fellow delegates swarm around Chris (in white)

 Chris being led off the stage

It was Mr. Australia who stole the show minutes before the emcees announced the results. The Thunder from Down Under felt a little woozy and so was helped off the stage by fellow delegates but he did come back just right after Mr. Switzerland was proclaimed the winner. 

fellow contestants cheer Mr. Mendes 

Congratulations to the winners and the organizers and as the contestants start packing up for their impending flights back to their respective countries, may their almost one- month stay in the Philippines be a wonderful stash of wonderful & happy memories

Meet the Top Favorites for Mister International 2015

After a series of preliminary events in the ongoing Mister International 2015 Pageant, , four delegates have emerged as the favorites to take it all. They are in no particular order:

Which gorgeous hunk will take home the title?  

 BRAZIL

Anderson Tomazini from Ilhabela who is representing Brazil in competition is a 26 year old Trader and a graduate in Public Administration

SWITZERLAND


 

Pedro Mendes, a 27 year old Geneva- based international model is an electrician by profession. He traces his roots to Portugal

 AUSTRALIA

Chris Nayna is a 6’2” registered nurse and fashion model who hails from Vermont South, Australia and works at the Box Hill Hospital as cardiology nurse. The gorgeous 24 year old hunk with the wholesome good looks is the youngest of seven kids and a strong advocate for health, fitness and illness prevention.  

 SPAIN

Twenty- one year old Daniel Barreres is a future architect and is proud of the fact that he is the son of a half- Filipina who was born in the Philippines. He shares that among his most cherished childhood memories were those that he spent in the Philippines

Daniel Barreres of Spain

So who will take home the title of Mister International 2015? 

Thirty- five dashing young men from all parts of the globe are here in the Philippines as they compete for the Mister International title currently held by our very own Neil Perez. Grand Finale on November 30, Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World, Manila.

See you there!

Photo Credits: Missosology

Here Are My Pre- Final Top Ten for Mister International 2015

Thirty- five dashing young men from all parts of the globe are here in the Philippines as they compete for the Mister International title currently held by our very own Neil Perez. Grand Finale on November 30, Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World, Manila.

See you there!

The gentlemen had their official formal wear portraits at the Bar 360 of Resort World Manila & the House of Manila, Remington Hotel.

Here are the Top Ten in my Pre Final Prediction List. I picked them on the basis of wholesome good looks, strong presence, charming personality & gut feel. The final listing however will still change just before the grand finale next week.

MR.AUSTRALIA 

 MR.BRAZIL

 MR. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

 MR. JAPAN

 MR. KOREA

 MR. MEXICO

 MR. PHILIPPINES

www.lazada.com.ph

 MR. SPAIN

 MR. SWITZERLAND

MR. THAILAND 

Producer: Prime Events Production Philippines Foundation Inc.

Photographer: Yhoung Botor

Stylist: Miggy Melgar

Mister International 2015 Best in National Costume, Philippines in Top Ten

Mister International 2015 had its National Costume Competition in Paoay, Ilocos Norte and making the Top Ten are the following:

 our very own Mr. Philippines

www.lazada.com/ph 

Contestants from around the world will compete for the coveted title currently held by our very own Neil Perez at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World, Manila on November 30

Photographs by: Raymond Saldana

Location: Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte

Mr. Philippines is Mister International 2015

 PINOY PRIDE: Neil Perez is Mister International 2015

Mariano Perez Flormata Jr. who is popularly known as Neil Perez, a police officer and a trained bomb and explosives technician, bested a field of handsome men from around the world on his way to become Mister International 2015 in a pageant held in Ansan, South Korea on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.

Named 1^st RU was Mr. Lebanon Rabdi El Zein  2^nd RU was Mr. Czech Republic Tomas Dumbrovsky, 3^rd RU was the popular & heavy favorite Mr. Poland Rafal Maslak and 4^th RU was Mr. Slovenia Mitja Nadizar.

THE REST OF THE FIFTEEN FINALISTS

Named to the Top Ten were Mr. Brazil  Matheus Martins, Mr. Japan  Masakazu Hashimoto, Mr. Korea  Park Young-ho, Mr. Mexico  Alejandro Valencia and Mr. Thailand  Vittawat Srikes

Rounding out the Final Fifteen were Mr. Colombia  David  Ángel, Mr. Guam  Richard  Johnson, Mr. Indonesia  Yohanes Kevin Hendrawan, Mr. Myanmar  Aung Chan Mya & Mr. Puerto Rico  Christian Ortíz

SPECIAL AWARDS

Most Stylish Award : Youngho Park – KOREA

Mister Congeniality : David Angel – COLOMBIA

Mister Photogenic : Masakazu Hashimoto – JAPAN

Best National Costume : Shi Yu Quan – CHINA

Q & A IN FILIPINO 

After making it to the penultimate round, Neil answered in Filipino with an interpreter right beside him during the crucial Q & A thus making him the first Philippine representative to answer in Filipino at a major international pageant.

Will Neil’s decision to answer in Filipino and his pageant victory herald the era of the Filipino- speaking Miss Philippines in future Miss Universe pageants?

He was asked what he would consider his biggest disappointment in his life. He cited his failure to acknowledge the role of his parents in his life and for taking them for granted. He wrapped up a very sincere answer by promising to make up for it  

INSTANT PINOY CELEBRITY IN KOREA

 Neil Perez during the Thanksgiving Mass in Ansan City, South Korea 

New Mister International Neil Perez was warmly welcomed by Filipino Community in Ansan City during the thanksgiving mass. There are over 3,000 Filipinos in Ansan City, South Korea.

THIRD PINOY TO WIN INT'L MALE PAGEANT TITLE

He is the third Filipino to win a prestigious international male pageant. The first was Alex Aquino who won Mister International in India back in 2000. The second is June Macasaet  who won the country's first Manhunt International title in Bangkok, Thailand last 2012

Congratulations once again to Neil Perez!