Paul Mark Buendia (second from right) and Ramzy Hesham Villegas (second from left) at the Man of the Philippines finals on June 26, 2022. SUPPLIED

Two Filipino expatriates in the UAE took home the top titles in the recently concluded Man of the Philippines 2022 pageant in the Philippines. Dubai’s Paul Mark Buendia, 30, was crowned Man of the Universe, besting 23 other candidates in the pageant held at KCC Convention Center in General Santos City on Sunday (June 26). Buendia also received awards for Man of Swimwear and Man of Photos and was named ambassador for UAE Kabayan Souq and MXXI fashion line by Filipino actor and model Markki Stroem. It was the culmination of a long-awaited dream for the 30-year-old Buendia, who started competing in pageants when he was just 20. He took a break from pageantry when he started working abroad in 2015, but returned to compete in Man of the Philippines in Dubai in 2021 where he won the Man of the Philippines-Dubai title. After winning Sunday's pageant, Buendia will represent the Philippines in the Man of the Universe pageant next year. Organizers have yet to announce a date and location. Meanwhile, Ramzy Hesham Villegas took home the title Mister Model of the World. He was also named as the new ambassador of Nearby Resto Bar. Better late than never was Villegas' battle cry as he juggled the pageant in the Philippines and his graduation ceremony at the University of Sharjah. A day after his graduation in Sharjah, the 23-year-old flew to the Philippines on June 19 to attend the pageant finals week, which ran from June 18 to 26. Villegas will represent the Philippines when he competes in Mister Model of the World in Thailand next year. This year’s Man of the Philippines pageant also crowned Cebu’s Bryan Diaz as World Fitness Supermodel, and Laguna’s Richard Rey Gomez as Mister Altitude World. This is the third edition of Man of the Philippines, which is produced by Dubai-based Filipino entrepreneur Gilbert Espiritu of Star Realms Entertainment Production. ICA/Expat Media
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