Filipino wins transgender pageant

Twenty-two-year old Kevin Balot, a nursing graduate from the Philippines, won the prestigious Miss International Queen, the worldwide pageant of transgenders and transvestites. Kevin was also voted Ms Photogenic according to pageant organisers Tiffany Show and Piton Communications. Jessika Simoes of Brazil won 1st runner-up while Thailand’s Panvilas Mongkol was 2nd runner-Up.

The yearly event held at the resort city of Pattaya, Thailand, on Nov 2, was aired live on Thai television and watched by millions. An offshoot of Tiffany Show Pattaya, a cabaret show, Miss International Queen has grown into one of the most popular pageants in Thailand and has attracted international media coverage. It is also dubbed as the Miss Universe for transvestites and transgenders, whose aim is to empower transgenders, promote LGBT rights and provide a venue for showcasing their talents. The pageant has also launched the careers of several winners including Ai Haruna and Treechayada 'Poy' Malayaporn, who have become mainstream actresses and models in Japan and Thailand respectively.

According to organisers, the parents and sister of Kevin surprised him by flying in from Manila to Thailand to watch him compete and win the pageant. His mother was so proud she wanted to immediately join and congratulate him onstage after the pageant.

Kevin, who dreams of becoming a flight attendant, said he was proud to be the first Filipino to win the eight-year-old pageant, which has been dominated by winners from Thailand, USA and Japan. Three other Filipinos joined the pageant. One of them was Stefania Cruz, who won Miss Ripley’s Popular Vote.

:)) Congratulations Kevin!

Other Special Awards Winners:
Best Evening Gown – Sunny Dee-Lite (United States)
Miss Congeniality – Noah Herrera (Venezuela)
Miss National Costume – Yuki Tachibana (Japan)
The Angel Talent Competition – Beni Tukishima (Japan)
Miss Perfect Skin By Asoke Skin Hospital – Matricia Mae Centino (Guam)

(Photos courtesy from Tiffany Show/Piton Communications)

Comments

The Filipino Diaspora Abroad: One Foot in Motherland

I was privileged to give a reaction during the book launch of DIASPORA JOURNEY: PHILIPPINE MIGRATION AND DIASPORA NARRATIVES last October 30. The authors are Filipinos from various parts of the world. A majority of them have lived most of their lives in the US. In light of the recent elections in the US where migration was one of the most pressing issues, and unfortunately the rightwing campaign of the Republicans has demonised certain migrant groups as criminals and opportunists, I am publishing the reaction I gave during the launch. Magandang hapon po, good afternoon to all of you! To Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya, Consuls Jari, Nomer, Kay, friends at the embassy and the Filipino community, and the authors who are here – AVE RODRIGUEZ-BAXA, MYRLA DANAO, RUBY LANGEVELD-CUMBA, MALU PADILLA, JEFFREY MORALES, MAYA, AND CARLO BUTALID. It is my honor and pleasure to briefly react to this book, DIASPORA JOURNEY: PHILIPPINE MIGRATION AND DIASPORA NARRATIVES. When we propose a man...

Roads to Santiago de Compostela

When a pilgrim on the way to the burial site of the apostle Santiago or Saint James (Jacobo in other languages) sees a scallop shell in front of a house or monastery, he/she/they is welcome to stay. But of course pilgrimage tourism is huge these days and one can just choose a hotel or hostel along the way, with careful planning of course. Many years ago, when pilgrims completed their journey, they took scallop shells from the beach nearby as proof of completion, but now they just have to buy it from the shop and get a certificate from an office approved by the Catholic church. Jog or walk early morning around #santiagodecompostela and you see pilgrims just starting their walk or arriving from long arduous journey, and some crying after making it to their destination.

Voting Dutch Style

Are you going to vote today? The campaigning in the past months in the Netherlands has been intense with more new parties coming up, two big parties joined forces, one splintered from a big one to form another. What I like is how the parties encourage voters to go out there and vote and the platforms of debates. The party heads appeared in a small debate on Jeugjournaal, a news program for children, where children got to ask questions themselves. Questions like "what is your biggest fear", "what was your greatest dream when you were a kid and how did you follow up that dream" and "what can you do for us?" were posed by children. The politicos had to convince the children and they also had a quiz show where some questions were asked: "what does the expression 'ai-naa! mean'?' or "what is the favourite expression of Ronaldo when he scores?" The politicians also appeared on First Dates, a dating program, where they had to be on a...

Stories & Photographs by Jofelle Tesorio

Search This Blog