The Philippines has crowned new “kings” who will represent the Philippines in international male pageants.

Mark Kevin Baloaloa of Catanauan, Quezon, was proclaimed Mister International Philippines, while John Paul Ocat of Talisay City in Cebu was hailed Man of the World-Philippines at the finals of the 2018 Misters of Filipinas competition staged at the Music Museum in San Juan City on Wednesday night.

Baloaloa will be sent to the 2019 Mister International contest earlier next year, while Ocat will compete in the 2019 Man of the World competition.

Twenty-three aspirants competed in the contest’s sixth edition this year.

Completing the winners’ circle are first runner up Casius Charles Panopio of Batangas, second runner up Federico Palejon from the Filipino community of Florence in Italy, and third runner up Ruben Anthony Timbol from Tarlac. They will also be sent to other global tilts as well.

This year’s edition also featured a reunion of some of the previous titleholders since the pageant was founded by Prime Events Productions Philippines Foundation Inc. in 2013.

Some of its wards include police officer Neil Perez who bagged the Mister International title in 2014, and Karan Singhdole who won in the inaugural edition of the Man of the Year contest. /cbb