After 3-year delay, Erik Visser is off to Bali for Mr. Universe Tourism 2023

CEBU, Philippines — When Erik Lennart Visser was crowned Ginoong Pilipinas 2019, he was raring to represent the Philippines at the Mr. Universe Tourism pageant the following year in Jakarta, Indonesia. But the pandemic hit, and not wanting to lose momentum, the Filipino-Dutch decided to play the long game.

“As months went by, it became clear to me that the pageant might not happen at that moment so I decided to keep myself busy and made sure I stay healthy and fit,” the Cebu-based model told The FREEMAN during his send-off press conference held March 8 at C Sea View Cafe and Restobar at IL Corso Lifemalls.

“Since gyms were closed, I decided to exercise in my own ways like home workouts, swimming, and hiking. When things were starting to open again, I was hopeful that the pageant would continue and that’s where it brought me today.”

After almost three years, the latest edition of Mr. Universe Tourism will take place in Bali, Indonesia, with the coronation happening March 19 at the Bali Nusa Dua Theater.

“What I learned from Ginoong Pilipinas is that I have to focus on my goals. I was quite lax until the pageant night and it became suddenly quite real for me”, said Visser, who also represented Cebu City at the Century Tuna Superbods 2022 competition.

Visser, a licensed private pilot and property manager, studied Psychology at Silliman University in Dumaguete City. He is under the management of Dexter Alazas’ Admire Models Philippines.

He has left no stone unturned in preparation for Mr. Universe Tourism. “I have my Toastmakers coach to help me practice on speech, making sure that all of my answers have good grammar. The competition has Q&A and closed-door interview, which is two of the biggest segments of the competition because it’s not just about the looks, but also the smarts.”

“I am also focused on my diet so I made sure that I am getting the right amount of calories which is where my workout comes to play. I make sure to stick to my daily workout regimen and create a body build for myself for this kind of pageant.”

Among all of the segments of Mr. Universe Tourism, Visser is looking forward to the closed-door interviews the most. For his national costume, he will be wearing a Sarimanok-themed ensemble designed by Alazas.

“It’s a popular costume choice for representatives of the Philippines. This time, instead of putting something on his head or making him wear wings that are just one part of a costume, he is really the Sarimanok himself,” shared Alazas. “He will be under some sort of basket-weaved cage. I am using recycled materials like strips of plastic that we wove into the basket weave and also used fabrics from Argao.”

Alazas incorporated a bit of his advocacy of using Filipino weaves in making the national costume – which is connected to the Mister Universe Tourism’s goal of promoting sustainable tourism. Another significance of why the Sarimanok costume was designed with woven material is its symbolism of Visser’s bi-racial identity, as well as a promotion of the Philippines as a valuable tourist spot for sustainability.

“The costume is woven, similar to the Philippines as an archipelago, a mixed-raced country that is supposed to be inter-woven with each other,” added Alazas.

Born in the Netherlands but raised in the Philippines, straddling two different cultures comes with both pros and cons.

“In the Netherlands, everyone is quite organized, strict, down-to-earth, and straightforward. In the Philippines, you get people who have cheerful personalities, a relaxed way of approaching life. Merging those two ways of thinking will get you the best of both worlds.”

On one hand, being bi-racial can also make fitting in a challenge. “One of the things I talked about when I joined Ginoong Pilipinas is the racism I experienced. Being half-Filipino, I wasn’t truly seen as pure Pinoy. As much as I want to be seen as a Cebuano and a Filipino, I am always seen as a foreigner.”

Visser hopes that winning Mr. Universe Tourism 2023 for the Philippines will pave the way for him to be fully seen by Filipinos as one of their own. “Once you bring home a crown, it’s a very big deal for Filipinos,” he said.

Addressing his supporters, Visser said, “I wouldn’t have made it this far without all your help, and believe me when I say, I will put all my heart and soul to bringing home that Mr. Universe Tourism crown. I’ll be flying to Bali with the heart of a Filipino, and a desire fueled with the Pinoy spirit.”