Thirty contestants from around the world, including a hearing-impaired, were presented to media Tuesday at Resorts World Manila as official candidates to this year’s Man of the World pageant.
Richard Montoya, Prime Event Productions Philippines, Inc. Foundation Director for Legal, described this year’s contest as “competitive.”
“The number of candidates would have been higher than 30. But for unknown reasons, some of them were not allowed by their talent management to compete,” he says.
Juan Carlos Cabrera Torres, a hearing-impaired looker from Lima, Peru, says he joined the pageant to inspire others like him. “I want to inspire the handicapped that we can do more.’’
Clint Karklins Peralta, a registered nurse from Camarines Sur, is the country’s representative to the pageant.
The Bicolano hunk says the contest would be his last.
“Win or lose, after my reign in Misters of Filipinas, I am going to London to work as a nurse. I have no plans of competing in other pageants anymore,” says the Filipino candidate who also has Polish and Latvian blood.
During the pre-pageant show, five contestants received the Media Choice Awards.
Aside from the Philippines and Peru, the three other recipients of special awards were Kaung Htet Wai, Myanmar; Emmanuel Luiz, Nigeria; and Cao Xuan Tai, Vietnam.
The finals will be held in San Juan, Metro Manila on Saturday, July 14. (Robert R. Requintina)
