1st Screening Callbacks for Misters of Pilipinas 2015

Despite the non-stop rains and unusual Sunday traffic, the first screening callback of Misters of Pilipinas 2015 was held at the PEPPs Tower in San Juan yesterday afternoon. Fourteen (14) applicants made it amidst the inclement weather, with a few more unable to arrive on time and requested for another schedule. I was part of the screening panel, alongside Mister International 2014/15 Neil Perez and John & Tessie Herbst of Teceruma. We all took the grilling of the applicants to heart.

The wide variety of guys who came shows that the interest of male joiners have significantly risen this year. There is a Farmer from Pampanga, an Architect from Quezon City, a Doctor of Public Administration from Batangas, a caretaker from Baguio City, a SPED teacher from UP Diliman, a professional model from Laguna, an Engineer with Manila Water and more. And mind you, a good number can really articulate themselves well, both in English and Tagalog.

The screening actually took on a two-stage process. There was preliminary interview and ramp walking assessment conducted by Mister International 2013 Jose Anmer Paredes, Mister Global Philippines 2014 Joseph Doruelo and Supermodel International Philippines 2015 Shanice Eve Bailon before they were sent up for the photo and video shoot with Aski Pascual. After that, it was the dreaded panel interview that got most of them nervous. Good thing we all made sure that they relaxed and focused on their answers in a light manner. In the end, some of them even gamely displayed their singing talents to the delight of the committee.

A week from now, the 2nd callbacks will be conducted where the pre-screened entries from some noted modeling agencies (and beauty camps, perhaps) will join the ones who passed yesterday’s activity. Hopefully, the final cast of Official Candidates will be made known by the 3rd week of July. The entries from the Filipino Communities of Australia (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane), Italy, Spain, Japan and Korea, plus the regional winners from Ilocos Norte, La Union, Davao Oriental and other provinces, are already seeded.

More to come from Misters of Pilipinas 2015! :-D