CEBU, Philippines — Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu hit two birds with one stone through a fashion show and talent showdown in one which saw the rise of four gentlemen as the pageant’s standouts so far in the competition.
Launched in June, the Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu search began their pre-pageant activities with an event dubbed “Fusion” held July 20 at Events at Soltana in Mactan. The affair featured the 18 candidates (minus two after an elimination) strutting the runway for the Menswear Fashion Show and showing off their skills during the Talent Competition.
Performances ranged from the harana, to the handling of skill toys, declamation, and even interpretative and cultural dances. Each of the candidates made it a point to not only display their talents, but also their personalities, going out of their way to woo the crowd with flowers and dancing.
Also featuring AD Models Philippines and the designs of Alejandro Godinez, Mel Maria, Mike Yapching, Rei Escario, Brendon Cenon, Danny Booc, and Dexter Alazas, “Fusion” showcased the Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu candidates’ finesse, as they paraded down the runway dressed in ensembles put together by Cebu’s fashion designers.
Seated at the judges’ table were Lito Gruel, Margo Frasco, Mirza Daytia, and Eric Gregor Tan who were tasked to assess the gentlemen’s performances in both events.
In the end, three candidates stood out for the Talent Competition with Lorenzo Isip, Francis Torrevillas, and Erik Visser earning top marks for their talents.
Isip’s dance-drama performance entitled “Paglaum” which means hope, highlighted his sports tourism advocacy and showed the importance of sports in wellness and in the fight against substance abuse; while Francis Torrevillas brought the house down with his cowboy-themed performance, where he sang and danced to “Your Man” by Josh Turner.
Filipino-Dutch Erik Visser, meanwhile, got in touch with his Filipino side and performed a traditional Igufao-inspired dance number.
While Gerald Flores’ “Kiss”performance didn’t exactly win the judge’s hearts, he rose to the occasion during the Menswear Fashion Show, and was named Best in Runway in his all-black outfit designed by Danny Booc.
Despite having four candidates in the spotlight for now, the competition has just begun. By August 31, the Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu candidates will get to strut their hard-earned physique at the GPC Swimwear Competition, yet another pre-pageant event.
These events will eventually lead up to the Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu 2019 Coronation Night, which will take place on September 21, the anniversary of the Martial Law declaration.
Launched on Independence Day, Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu is tagged as the search for a “new modern day hero.” Apart from finding the total package, pageant provincial director and fashion designer Dexter Alazas also aims to elevate the image of male pageantry. Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu 2019 is the very first formal pageant staged to find representatives to the national Ginoong Pilipinas competition.
The finals night will feature a post-modern heroes-themed collection, while the swimwear segment will showcase a Datu Lapu-Lapu-inspired bahag. The Bisaya barong and the local hablon are the stars of the formal wear segment. Among the major prizes for outstanding candidates include GPC Best in Talent, Best in Resort Wear, Best in Modern Day Hero Costume, and Best in Barong Bisaya. Out of the 18, finalists will then be chosen to go through the dreaded Q&A segment – the last hurdle on their way to the crown.
The Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu 2019 grand titlist shall be known as Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu Hero 2019 and will take home P100,000 in cash and other prizes. GPC Hero 2019 will also earn the opportunity to represent Cebu at the national stage for Ginoong Pilipinas which will be staged in October. After him, four more equal titles – Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu-
North, Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu-South, Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu-East, and Ginoong Pilipinas Cebu-West – are up for grabs for the deserving runners-up.
During the national leg, titles like Ginoong Pilipinas-Universe, Ginoong Pilipinas-Gentleman of the World, Ginoong Pilipinas-Man of the Year, and Ginoong Pilipinas-Imperial Universe-- will be given away, each of them leading to international competitions.