ROBERTA TAMONDONG BEAMS WITH PRIDE OVER MISS ECO TEEN INTERNATIONAL WIN

Our very own Roberta Tamandong has finally arrived back in our country after winning the Miss Eco Teen International 2020 pageant in Egypt last weekend. She was welcomed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal by Miss World Philippines Organization National Director Arnold Vegafria and her mentor, Rodgil Flores, from Kagandahang Flores Camp.

Her win marks another milestone in the field of pageantry as our nation asserts its dominance as a beauty powerhouse in the world.
Tamondong bested 18 candidates to become the first Filipina teen to win during the sophomore edition of the pageant last weekend at the Hurghada Resort in Cairo, Egypt.

“Actually, ang totoong Christmas gift ko before I land in Egypt was to bring home the crown,” the humble 18-year-old statuesque revealed during her homecoming press conference in Quezon City. “And I am happy nagkakatotoo naman and I hope you all like my Christmas gift to you,” she added.

Tamondong’s victory is fourth title for the Miss World Philippines (MWP) organization, following the footsteps of her fellow MWP sisters, Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 Teresita Marquez and Miss Multinational 2018 Sophia Señoron and Miss Eco International 2017 Cynthia Thomalla. Even at such a young age, Tamondong, a Laguna native, has been considered a pageant veteran having competed in other local pageants before getting appointed for this title. She was in the process of submitting her application form for MWP when she got the call from Sir Arnold Vegafria to compete around third week of November.

While she already has the looks and experience, Tamondong insisted that she had to undergo rigorous training to be on top of her game. And this was where Sir Rodgil Flores of Kagandang Flores Camp who came in very handy for her. “I have been training with Sir Rodgil since I was 13,” she revealed. “I credit him for the all of this.”

Sir Rodgil Flores, who was also in attendance during the press conference, also couldn’t hide his joy for his ward who is now an international beauty titleholder.

“Yes, it’s true what she said. She has been training with me since when she was 13 years old and at that time, I already saw her huge potential back then. And kitang-kita nyo naman yung stage presence niya (in all her previous pageants and it was all due to her five years of training with me. I congratulate her for this. She has a bigger responsibility now,” the world-class beauty queen maker said.

Despite this pandemic, her week-long preparation and fighting spirit, however, persevered and she credits her team for being with her all the way despite the short notice.
Her glam team is nothing to be sneezed at. They are composed of Jhong Sudlon (designer), Elron Young (hair/make up artist), Sam Sapo (finance/marketing), Sam Pelaez (stylist), Jojo Bragais (shoes), Nathan Sison (Q&A mentor), Ryan Java (talent coach) with the guidance of her longtime mentor, Sir Rodgil Flores.
“To be honest, they have been congratulating me for this but I have been telling them instead na they should also congratulate themselves (for a job well done) because if it weren’t for them, I would not have made it. Nakita nyo naman sa mga nangyari…despite being miles away from them during this time of pandemic, we made it all work.”

With a strong support system, it still wasn’t enough for the former Mutya ng San Pablo Laguna to be fully confident about her chances especially after arriving in her host country.

“To be honest, all throughout my journey, there was always a certain doubt on myself whether I would win or not. Especially upon arrival, I was so scared about the thought of not winning or tripping or simply not being good enough,” she revealed.

“But luckily, with everyone’s encouraging words on social media and Law Of Attraction advice from Mama Jhong, my Q&A mentor…na if you manifest it, makukuha mo yung crown na gusto mo so always be positive and always pray and to never lose faith in yourself that you will perform in the best of your ability,” she said.

So she followed their advice and the rest is history.

Now that the crown is sitting pretty on her head, Tamondong is more excited to fulfill her duties as the newly crowned Miss Eco Teen International , and consequently, as part of her prize, as United Nations Ambassador for environment and eco tourism.

“I am so excited about this as I will now be able to spread my advocacy which is pressing awareness about a lot of environmental issues to the youth. And I plan to harness the power of social media in disseminating information to them and that would be my main focus,” she said.

“But more than that, I would really want to change people’s mindset and changing our lifestyle. I know it is very difficult to do since we are in a pandemic right now and it’s hard for all of us to adjust but trust me, it’s for the betterment of the world. As a teen, our Earth is deteriorating from the Amazon forest burning and icecaps melting and I think it’s about time we stand up and unite against what’s happening in our environment,” she added.

And soon, it will be a lot of travel for this 5’9 Miss San Beda stunner , whose pageant prize also include an exclusive diplomatic passport with a five- year validity apart from winning USD4000.00 cash prize.
Mr Arnold Vegafria, Miss World Philippines national director, has disclosed this to the press conference wherein he revealed that his ward will be shuttling back and forth to Egypt during her reign.

Being Miss Eco International’s homebase, Tamondong will see herself working with its team as it starts with its coral reef rehabilitation project in preserving Egypt’: major marine tertiaries.

“Looks like I’ll be shuttling back and forth to Egypt within the year, especially in March (2021), when I’ve been tasked to host the next edition of Miss Eco International pageant,” she also revealed.

“Apart from signing up with a movie company and apparel brand here, what I am excited about for Roan right now is her 5-year ambassadorship with the United Nations. As we all know, Miss Eco international is the only (pageant system) accredited by the UN and it’s really a big deal for me considering we are not talking about a one-year ambassadorship but five years,” Vegafria said.

The latest beauty pride of the Philippines just couldn’t wait to jumpstart her reign and wished all the people to be with her in this new chapter of her life.

“Thank you for all your support, guys. I am thankful to have met all of you. I really can’t wait to meet and get to know all of you because I have a feeling you will all be part of my life forever,” she ended.

Photos taken from: Joy Arguil Of Fab Philippines Facebook Page

PIA WURTZBACH ARRIVES IN DUBAI FOR XPEDITION ANNUAL GALA AWARDS

She travels without a crown, but Pia Wurtzbach is still a queen.

Yesterday, she flew to Dubai to attend the forthcoming @xpeditionmagazine Annual Gala Awards where rumor has it she will be conferred the highest award of the event.

In these photos and short video clip, the third Miss Universe titleholder from the Philippines was met by Mr. @josh_yugen , editor in chief of @xpeditionmagazine and head of @yugenpr public relations firm, at the Terminal 3 of Dubai airport a few hours ago.

This marks Wurtzbach’s third time in Dubai. Part of her itinerary for this trip is to do a photoshoot with the renowned luxury travel and lifestyle magazine , which according to reliable sources, will be the best cover edition that the publication will mount.

PIA WURTZBACH IN DUBAI FOR ANNUAL EXPEDITION GALA AWARDS

She travels without a crown, but Pia Wurtzbach is still a queen.

Yesterday, she flew to Dubai to attend the forthcoming @xpeditionmagazine Annual Gala Awards where rumor has it she will be conferred the highest award of the event.

In these photos and short video clip, the third Miss Universe titleholder from the Philippines was met by Mr. Josh Yugen , editor in chief of Xpedition Magazine and head of Yugen PR public relations firm, at the Terminal 3 of Dubai airport a few hours ago.

MISS EARTH 2020: THE TALKING POINTS THAT MADE THIS EDITION A SURPRISING HIT

So ends another heartbreaking, heartwarming yet frustrating edition of Miss Earth 2020.

In the past two months, in all our living rooms across the world, phones and laptops have been lighting up, streams of messages exchanged, group chats created and thousands of Facebook comments made.

As much of the entire pageant world settles in three to five times a week to watch gorgeous women from around the world bat for environmental preservation, for the many viewers who have always been a sucker for “zero-to-hero” stories, this entirely different edition of Miss Earth has packed an emotional punch that none of us pageant fans expected from a pageant finals.

There was a flurry of messages of doubt and disbelief when the pageant’s 20th edition would feature an all-new different ballgame: everything will be done virtually (no thanks to this pandemic we are experiencing right now); and there will be no live staging of the show – which meant no hugging or any physical contact on an annual emotional show.

Perhaps the most painful zero-hugs policy moment was not being able to congratulate these girls personally every time they would do a job well done in all their presentations for the pre-pageant activities. In the old normal, pageant fans would have flocked to the side events of Miss Earth to interact and take pictures with them. However, it wouldnt happen this year.

Then came the virtual finals telecast.

There was just so much anticipation whether this virtual format would work in a finals’ telecast. Surprisingly, it did! For a pageant fan who did not expect anything grand, I came out of my living room watching a feel-good visual spectacle which deserves to be praised.

Each of the video package sent by all these contestants provided a stunning backdrop at the entirety of the show. As they opened the show in their eco-angel costumes to the tune of the Philippine Madrigal Singers’ interpretation of the pageant’s theme song, we were in a for a virtual eye-candy. Whether it was the girl’s tenacity and hardwork in providing quality work in these videos or Carousel Productions just hired the most talented video editor in town, I can really feel goosembumps on my skin.

Ultimately, it was Miss USA Lindsey Coffey who ended up triumphant because, after an edition where presenting yourself requires high-definition on our webcams and phone screens while emoting fiercely and articulating your thoughts PERSUASIVELY about any topic within the realm of environmental preservation, Netherlands’ Tessa Le Conge lost much to our confusion.

When the eventual winner Miss USA, Lindsey Coffey was announced, the newly-crowned queen cried in disbelief, saying over and over, “Are you kidding?” as host James Deakin reassured her, “I wouldn’t kid about something like this. It’s as real as it gets.”

Which brings us to the entire edition in review. In addition to this one-of-a-kind pageant finals setup, we lost our minds over how the intelligence component of the pageant took centerstage this year given we were inundated with ZOOM live interviews of the contestants to shed more light about their advocacies. We were just amazed by all their credentials. Some of them even walk the talk.

Which is why we were all happier when it crowned a woman who was the overall package at the end of the day. For the past few years, it has been crowning goddesses with incredible resumes and credentials to the excitement of pageant fans, who, at one point in time, lost their interest about the show for various reasons.

There were other highs too: James Deakin getting more and more excellent with his hosting skills while a montage of past winners enlivened our screens as it gave updates to what they all have been doing now since the time they won.

The level of creativity and commitment displayed by the girls in this edition is very impressive too. Since it was all virtual, the battleground would be on the video packages one will showcase to be streamed on all Miss Earth’s social media accounts. The more high resolution ones video packages will be, the better. So the narrative here is that the creative control relied entire on each candidate and it was entirely up to her how she would impress the judges. It was really a test of creativity for the contestants.

Next, this edition also featured two contestants which turned out to be eventual fan favorites for the crown: Thailand’s Nampetch Teeyapar and Australia’s Brittany Dickson, who both brought not only a deep knowledge of their environmental causes, impressive commentary, laughter and heartfelt encouragement, but also an understanding of their passion (one joined twice while the other finally won on her third try while battling cancer) why competing in Miss Earth is a social movement for them.

There were less-highs too but at the very least, its a debate that is starting from a more sophisticated place. For instance, Some contestants, airing their grievances, as to how the Top 8 and eventual winners were picked given the virtual setup of the competition this year. While some of their concerns might be worth delving or looking into (for transparency purposes), we hope these contestants learn that losing gracefully is just as important than being a gracious winner. At the end of the day, only one woman will end up fulfilling that dream or destiny so it is up to us to make the most out of it by building another dream from thereon.

While Miss Earth itself is a celebrated pageant brand, it is not without blind spots. Yes, the finals telecast was a production well made. But it was the conversations about its relevance and cultural understanding in relation to this pandemic that defined this edition.

The mere fact it it still enjoys a thousand shares and views for every video upload it releases on its social media accounts means that the pageant brand is responding to the challenges favorably. In a time where everyone in the world is confined in their respective homes, it sends a clear message that once you put your heart and soul into something, people flock to it and give their support wholeheartedly once done right. It is no longer a question of entertaining ourselves out of boredom but more like a conscious effort to learn from the reality we are living in right now.

But still, criticism prevails it could have waited out until we go back to our normal situation and Carousel Productions doesn’t mind absorbing the flak. If there is one thing I learned from covering them, it’s that it is always unapologetic with its mission of raising awareness about the environment. It really takes lifelong commitment and dedication to commit and be consistent with a cause, pandemic or no pandemic. But instead of giving up on the pageant brand or boycotting it in an era where cancel culture is rife, let us allow this virtual setup to be a progress point for it to grow and build on for future editions.

HALIMA CLEARS UP MISS UNIVERSE PARTICIPATION ; WILL JOIN 2024 EDITION INSTEAD

Last weekend, Somalian-American model Halima Aden made pageant headlines when she revealed her plans to take part in the Miss Universe pageant as the first Miss Somalia. This was after she has decided to quit modeling due to her religious beliefs.

But four days after, she clarifies her earlier revelation by telling she hasn’t fully decided about it and will just join the pageant four years from now based on her recent Instagram story.

Since expressing her intent and real thoughts about joining @missuniverse , Aden has received many words of support and encouragement from her friends and adoring fans across the world.

BINIBINING PILIPINAS WILL STILL SEND CANDIDATE TO MISS GRAND INTERNATIONAL

The Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. will keep sending a Philippine delegate to Miss Grand International beauty pageant.

In an exclusive interview with Sir Gines Enriquez, Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. spokesperson (BPCI) with #HEYADAMG pageant site yesterday, he reiterated the organization’s commitment in sending world-class Filipina beauty queens to the Thai-owned international pageant.

“BPCI will keep sending quality or the best queens our country can produce… queens are that are of deserving to be crowned Miss Grand International ,” he revealed.

“All we have to do is just be consistent on what we have been set out to do despite the bashing,” he added.

Despite a clamor from Filipino pageant fans for the Thai-based franchise to be dropped, the BPCI Head still looks forward to the future with full of hope and positivity.

“(If you look at it), it’s really an opportunity for us. We are setting up ourselves for a victory when that time comes,” he shared.

“We are really prepared for this goal,” he ended.

The Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. has been sending delegates to this pageant for the past five years wherein it has managed to achieve a three consecutive Top 5 placement during the first three years, the highest of which when Nicole Cordoves almost won the pageant back in 2016.

Photo : Ctto

JANE KAMUS KNOF : A BEAUTY THAT EMPOWERS

Gone are te days when we define beauty by the make up that women wear. In this era, beauty now means a lot of things for women. “Kicking glass ceilings” in being empowered to make their own decisions and forge their own paths, finding confidence in their abilities and still being proactive with their passions and interest despite age limit.

And Mrs. Jane Kamus Knof is a perfect illustration of this argument. At 53, she still gives women her age the beauty of having their own opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the people around her since winning the Mrs. Noble Advocacy Queen last year.

Born in Maasin, Leyte, beauty runs in the blood of Jane. Her paternal aunt is Evelyn Camus who was Binibining Pilipinas International 1971 and a runner up in the Miss International contest the same year. She graduated with a medical technology degree from Far Eastern University and MMC. Inspired by her lineage despite her age, she joined Mrs. Abu Dhabi pageant abroad and placed as a runner up.

As the the reigning Mrs. Model Universe (MMMU), she has been extending her help to her hometown in Maasin, Southern Leyte. As one way of giving back to her community, the Badiang Elementary School, where her mom used to teach, is her chosen beneficiary. Giving back has always been part of Jane’s system eversince. She used to share her food to her friends and classmates in school when she was young. The habit stayed on until she got older.

So it was no surprise when the MMMU organization appointed her for this year’s title. Now based in Florida, USA where she married her husband, John Knof, Jane is excited to on this new opportunity to represent our country in the international edition of the pageant which will be held last quarter of next year.

Good luck, Miss Jane. May your tribe increase!

OPINION | RELEVANCE OF PAGEANT ADVOCACIES IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

Hi guys. How have you been?

Today is the fifth day of the enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines which means all of us are forced to stay in our homes nowadays. Now don’t feel too bad about it because it is actually for our own safety and our own good. I have been reading a lot of articles online and the people from Italy are saying that we should be wise and we should learn from their mistakes. Apparently, they did not take the call to social distancing very seriously on the onset. That is why the COVID- 19 virus spread so rapidly in their country.

Now you know the saying it it’s better to be safe than sorry? It applies perfectly in our situation today. So stay at home, stay safe. After all, we can do a lot of things at home. People have been creative with the way they have been spending their time in this quarantine period. I have been scanning over social media and there has been a surge of different online challenges these past few days. There’s the Tiktok Challenge, slumbook challenges, workout challenges, read-a-book challenge, post-an-old-photo challenge etc. All of these are guaranteed to make us entertained amidst this global pandemic scare happening right now.

But what about the plight of the pageantry world in this trying time? It’s really sad how pageantry has become suddenly irrelevant in this time of COVID-19. All pageant organizations were forced to cancel their pre-pageant activities and postpone their finals date at the last minute. Pageant fans went from crazy excitement to human survival mode in just a snap of the finger. Everyone is just in a state of panic for fear of the unknown about when this whole thing will end. As one of the pageant admins on our Facebook page, I suddenly question myself whether I should still continue posting updates about the pageant world or not in deference, of course, to what is happening in the world right now.

But I realize I am in this unique position to still continue to inform and entertain. And I should take advantage of it. While everyone is doing these crazy and funny Tiktok challenges online to keep its sanity intact, I keep watching old and past Miss Universe videos on Youtube on my end. I must have watched Catriona Gray’s crowning moment a thousand times already (both pre-COVID and present) and suddenly came across with Natalie Glebova’s crowning moment in Miss Universe 2005 which I stumbled upon on Miss Universe’s official Facebook page.

Both girls, no doubt, looked gorgeous but got crowned at the different era. The former won after surviving many rounds of interview portions while the latter only had to ace her one and only Q&A of the night to win. Catriona came and won in a time where advocacies in the pageantry is already a must-have staple for every candidate as how bread and rice are to humankind. Contrast that to Natalie’s time where how you only have to be drop-dead gorgeous from head to toe in order to win.

In the middle of this whole COVID-19 global mess we are in right now, I suddenly thought of these advocacies continually jeered for being unnecessary fillers in a three hour finals telecast. Pageant fans would always say it’s irrelevant and unnecessary as it’s a beauty pageant first and foremost. Nobody cares what they would say about it because it is phony or artificial as these candidates tend to only create these advocacies out of thin air as a requirement in joining pageantry nowadays.

But everything for me is changing right now, at least from my perspective. As we are all tucked in our respective homes now, I suddenly see the relevance of these pageant advocacies. We are all rendered immobile and powerless and we have no choice but to follow what our government imposes us to do. Consequently, we turn to social media to keep us all informed and updated about this pandemic. But with the proliferation of negativity and fake news online, we developed mental anxiety about this whole thing. Will we really see the end of it? What if this persists until June?

I am suddenly reminded of Riyo Mori’s answer in her final question which is to always remain calm and positive. As I distance myself from social media temporarily, I begin to question my mental health as I am beginning to think develop negative thoughts regarding my surrounding. Then I think of Kylie Versoza’s mental awareness campaign during her time and how it is so important to know its symptoms on the onset especially at this trying time. Pre-COVID time, pageant fans quickly jeer when these number of candidates year in and out advocate for this tried and gasgas advocacy. Now I am grappling with more information about it online as I deal with my own mental anxiety.

As I read up more news about this virus, I learn that the old or the elderly gets to be the most affected due to its low immune system. Then I remember Gazini Ganados again as she championed for the the elderly care during her time in Miss Universe last year. Pageant fans were quickly mocking her advocacy as they claim it it is purely padded and out of touch with the American audience but with everything’s that’s going on right now, she was right after all. If you check out the Internet right now, many Italian citizens are calling out help for their elderly as the latter will no longer be prioritized in being treated in their hospital facilities over there.

As of this writing, there have been 217 COVID-19 cases reported in our country. We don’t know if the toll will keep on rising until next month. Both our officials and analysts say the figure isn’t an accurate number as it’s only 10% to 30% accurate given the unavailability of testing kits in our country. The testing kits from China and South Korea are reportedly arriving until next month. Then I suddenly remember both Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray’s HIV awareness campaign where its important for people to get tested to know about their status. The HIV cases in our country have significantly increased but with two recent Miss Universe winners from the Philippines on the frontline, there still remains stigma attached to it. People are still scared to get tested. Will the entire Filipino race need a full-blown COVID-19 case scenario only to realize the potential pandemic HIV could lead us to in the near future as well?

The good thing is that we have capable and hardworking local government units responding to this crisis with their heart and soul. Young local community leaders have been impressing us with the way they have been handling the situation in their respective communities. For sure, they would not have been responding this well if it were not for the good education provided for them during their formative years. Which, to be honest, really reminds me of Catriona Gray’s championing free access to education among young underprivileged children. A local city mayor grew up poor and an orphan in Tondo and it is really awe-inspiring how he is leading his community with wisdom and compassion in this crisis.

To be honest, I also find the same paranoia about Samantha Bernardo’s malaria prevention advocacy as well. There isn’t much information available about this sickness as well and I am glad she is trying her best to shed light about it. Now, I want to access more information about it (given we also live in a tropical country) as who knows we might be having this kind of outbreak in the near future. More than looking at Samantha as a good dancer and gymnast, maybe it’s about time we should take her more seriously.

Or what about Maria Isabela Galeria’s current crusade on having access on universal healthcare among everyone. As a registered nurse, she could really use this time to talk about the benefits of having one in our nation.

I am really beginning to see the wisdom of these advocacies in the pageant world. Whether it was created artificial or from the sincerity of their hearts, we should always strive to take time to read up on what they have been advocating for. These pageants have been using advocacies to stay afloat and relevant in this trying time. I finally get why it’s important for them to get viewers who could identify with their contestants and rally behind them. I now get why glitz and glam has been toned down in favor of more speech and interview segments. I also now get why Miss World chooses not to mount a grand and spectacular coronation night annually in favor of holding more Beauty With A Purpose projects which could impact children suffering from hunger worldwide. There is really something we can learn from these contestants more than just seeing them as Barbie dolls on stage on live television.

So next time we complain why Miss Universe has replaced its Final look segment with a Final Statement one, think of this trying time we are all grappling with right now. Believe it or not, beauty pageants have already started evolving and reinventing and should our mindsets be. There is now a power to inform and empower a community with compassion. Just like how a town hall meeting or election caucus looks like – except that the participants are dressed to the nines.

So in case someone says pageants are no longer relevant nowadays. Maybe I should think twice again.

IMG or Miss Universe was just probably thinking ahead of its time. i was just too busy knitpicking something else.

OPINION |RELEVANCE OF PAGEANT ADVOCACIES IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

Hi guys. How have you been?

So next time we complain why Miss Universe has replaced its Final look segment with a Final Statement one, think of this trying time we are all grappling with right now. Believe it or not, beauty pageants have already started evolving and reinventing and should our mindsets be. There is now a power to inform and be compassionate just like how an election caucus is to an assembly of voters.

So in case someone says pageants are no longer relevant nowadays. Maybe I should think twice again.

IMG or Miss Universe was just probably thinking ahead of its time. i was just too busy knitpicking something else.

MANHUNT WATCH | PH bet Daumier Corilla Has Arrived Right On Time

Four years of being a Sash Factor correspondent have given me a pretty good idea that Manhunt International Philippines 2019 Daumier Corillla could go places.

There might be other upcoming male models who’ve got that whole charm or smoldering-at-all-times thing down as this guy. I am guessing that was one of the factors that went into Global Asian Model Management’s decision to choose this handsome Filipino as the man to represent our country to the forthcoming Manhunt International. We recently got a chance to catch up with Daumier as he gears up for the said pageant. And for the recorded he is exactly as beautiful in person as you might think. This lad who towers at 6’4” is charismatic (as Mr World Philippines USA 2017), surreal (in Mr Global Asian Model of the Philippines last December) & core-meltingly handsome in person.

It’s the fourth-to-last day of his preparation and the pressure is real for this stunning model and it is settling in this like nothing he’s ever experienced before about it, because others who have been around a lot longer than he has are saying the same thing, to just go with the thrilling ride. While we take turns in taking photos of him along with Rosko Dickinson, Manhunt International, during his intimate send-off gathering with the pageant pressers, we couldn’t help but notice his charm and gregariousness. He grins, smiles and fields questions from the press like a pro like he has been doing this for a long time. Maybe it helps he spent his college years in Los Angeles which enables him to get along with everyone pretty well. Little does he know that this day, this particular moment where pageant aficionados were seizing up his chances in Manhunt International, could serve as the inflection point of his nascent life.

What’s interesting about our fixation for him is that Daumier Corilla could reasonably be said to have better things to do. Five years ago, when he was 18, he was just basically contented with life’s simplicity here in Los Angeles. This 24-year-old homegrown hunk, who went to Southville International School during his formative years, never dreamt of what he is doing right now – thanks to his friends who egged him to try out Mr World Philippines USA three years ago.

“When I won the contest, they said I should try showbiz in the Philippines which they said will be very good for me,” he revealed. “So I took that leap of faith and when I got here on August 25, 2019, that’s where I started modeling officially. Yes, I just started modeling last year.” From then on since, Corilla’s life has quite changed.

He is quite adjusting well to his relative fame he is currently enjoying right now. This also goes to his fashion sense as well. “A couple of years ago, modeling was really never in my plans because if you knew me before, I was really shy. I would never talk to people especially in front of cameras (getting recorded). But right now, I have learned to just go with the flow. It doesn’t matter if I make mistakes because I will just laugh about it. My bashers can say anything they wanna say but I will still be me while making my own mark in the world,” he added.

And the change even extends to his fashion sense. As an upcoming model, it’s part of the territory – to look good all the time.

”I used to be that simple guy but now I have learned to try different things and experiment when it comes to fashion. Now, I’ve been trying to change all my clothes in my closet to make me look presentable. So I guess you can say my fashion sense has become better than it was five years ago,” he added.

Corilla- modestly built, always game – always has a way of learning to bid for the right time. As he prepares for Manhunt International, he has immersed himself in various workshops to improve his game. His life, over the past year, has been lived almost exclusively on photo shoots, fittings and castings. None of which has kept Corilla from obsessing, at every opportunity, about cars and airplanes.

”Growing up I always loved cars. I used to play those hot wheel cars when I was a kid, Corilla revealed. “And as I got older I played with remote controlled cars, then racing games. And then I got into go kart racing. There’s just something about getting that adrenaline rush when I go fast. One thing that is really peaking my interest nowadays are electric cars. It’s good for the environment and they are quicker and more efficient than gas cars. I am excited to see how cars will eventually evolve in the future. Think about it, has cars been around for a hundred years and now we have super cars and HyperCars like Lamborghini, Ferrari and Bugatti. Electric cars have only been around for 20 years, now Imagine how advanced and faster they will be in a hundred years.”

So that’s what he took up when he got the opportunity to study in Los Angeles for six years. He enrolled at Sta. Monica College where he took up Aviation administration, focusing on what he describes as “the future of the world.” Over food and beersC he discusses this subject breathlessly, and hopes to one day be that “someone who will find a much easier way to fly around the world those those traditional airline companies.” As he starts reaching for the stars so is his childhood dreams too. “I used to dream of becoming a pilot but now, I want to own a private airline company for myself.”

It’s fitting for a guy who adores cars and basketball and unpacks no style would end up hitting runway shows. But it’s more than the clothes he models that makes him right as an upcoming model. Corilla, after all, is a guy with ideas about definitions of masculinity and one with sympathy for Kobe Bryant.

”He died a hero and a legend. His passion for basketball really left an impact on me. If you really love why you are doing to be great at it, and you will do everything it takes to achieve your goals. It’s not so much as the big things that you do, it’s more of the small things, the small details that make you the greatest. Kobe was a perfectionist when it came to honing his craft in basketball. When he passed away, I learned that you should cherish and love every person you meet or care about because their lives could end at any moment. We all kinda saw Kobe as a super human, like an immortal being. And after his accident, we realized that no matter who you are, God could take away your life.”

There is no “just” with Daumier Corilla, though I suspect he’d like there to be. He’s “badly excited” for the upcoming finals. He has done his best in preparing well for the competition even if the odds are stacked against him right now. He wants to win badly so he really won’t settle or try with “what if?” Whatever he does, Corilla would want to be able to devote himself to that thing fully, to give one hundred percent rather than coast in a status as a small dream for a 24-year old guy.

”We’ll just see how it goes,” he offered. “I want to win this so bad to achieve my career goals. If I don’t win, I’ve got other plans in my mind.”

Corilla’s already proven he can achieve one goal. Why not see where the next one leads.

Photos by: Andy Cayna & Orange Bear Production for #SashFactor