 |
| Some of the winners on pageant night |
Ginoong Filipinas (GF) is the longest male pageant in
the country. Perhaps, it is also one of the longest male pageant in the world,
having started in 1990 and successfully staged it year after year. In its
humble beginnings, some of its winners were sent to international pageants.
Today, things have changed. I got the impression that Ginoong Filipinas today
is staged primarily for the gay community to feast young hunks, and I really mean
that. GF capitalizes on good-looking young men who are ready to lower their
undies a bit to give their viewers a preview of their pubic hairs.
This is a major turn off for a male pageant to be
called prestigious. On the contrary, it gives a very strong signal that it is
of low-class.
 |
| Fitting for the Barong Tagalog |
Last year’s winner was a nurse. This is perhaps one of
the major saving factors of Ginoong Pilipinas. It has to select winners who are
empowered in the society. But as long as the founder Dr. Lito dela Merced, who
is also “Lucas Mercado” (director of gay indie movies), listens and sides with
marketing his pageant primarily for the gay community, then it will forever be
criticized.
But, oh, Ginoong Filipinas is here to stay.
 |
| John Earl Agbunag, Ginoong Filipinas 2014 |
