Mindoro Island’s Jan Kim Vergel won Mister National World at the 2019 Mister National Universe pageant held in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Jan Kim Vergel bested 18 other candidates from all over the world and emerged with the title equivalent to the 1st Runner-Up in the international tilt on July 1.
The Accounting Technology graduate had previously won Mister Continental Philippines 2019 and earned the right to be one of the two candidates from the Philippines in the international pageant in Thailand. Vergel opted to represent Mindoro Island as one of the two entries from the Philippines.
The 22-year old tourism desk officer from San Jose, Occidental Mindoro showcased the island’s pride – the Mangyan and Tamaraw – in his national costume designed by Enchong Nocelo Agmata Salatan and Karpov Lingan Laguisma.
In his pageant speech, Jan Kim Vergel emphasised tourism and the promotion of Mindoro as a tourist destination, while advocating the protection of the endangered Tamaraw which can only be found in the island.
“That’s why I joined this Mister National Universe because I desire to escalate to the international level what Mindoro Island, Philippines has to offer… I also want to highlight our endemic wildlife, the native Mangyan, and the Tamaraw,” Vergel stated.
The Pinoy pageant winner also shined the light on women and the LGBT community in his final Question and Answer response.
“Of all the things I would like to contribute to our society, what matters to me the most is reminding everyone, especially my fellow men, that women and LGBT community is to be respected regardless of what they wear or how they act. We have to let them know that we, the men of our society, are with them as they fight for just treatment and equality,” went the winning answer of Jan Kim Vergel.
Vergel’s win comes a few weeks after the big win of Janjep Carlos who won Mister Gay World 2019 in South Africa.
The Mister National Universe 2019 title went to Vikas Usham from Manipur, India.
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