CEBU, Philippines — As a non-native English speaker, Francisco Zafra from Spain worked hard to convey his message during the free speech segment at the Mister International 2024 finals in Toledo City, Cebu, last November 10.
Thanks to his upbringing and educational background, he was able to carry through with a hard-hitting message that Filipinos might relate to all too well regarding natural disaster response.
“What fills me with pride in my Spanish people is our profound sense of resilience among us,” he told the Toledo Sports Center crowd in English.
“In Spain, we always choose unity over adversity. Earlier this month, a storm devastated the city of Valencia, Spain which claimed hundreds of lives. I am so proud to see my country reunited, working together to support each other through the hardest times.”
While he delivered an impactful speech, it was Zafra's answer during the Q&A segment that likely secured his victory as this year’s Mister International.
Asked how he could inspire the next generation, he responded in Spanish through an interpreter: “For someone to be the Mister International, it should be a person who has the highest capacity to lead and inspire new generations. I will use [this opportunity as Mister International] to help the next generations [to] dream and fight without limits.”
Zafra achieved a back-to-back win for Spain, succeeding Jose Antonio Calle. He also clinched the Best in Swimwear award.
The Philippines was represented by Laguna's Marvin Diamante, who earned the second runner-up spot and was named Best in Formal Wear, donning a suit by Ancient Designers Hub.
Rounding out the top five are Estefano Balarin (Peru), Elias Silitonga (Indonesia), and Zeng Xianyang (China) as first, third, and fourth runner-ups, respectively.
A pageant rookie, Zafra was picked to represent Spain after winning a national pageant a few months ago where he faced off against 53 candidates.
Doubling as a model and policeman, one of the first things Zafra wants to do when he gets back to Spain is to help the victims of the flood in Valencia.
As the new Mister International, he is expected to perform activities related to advocacy and entertainment.
“As Mister International, I want to give him opportunities to be in show business and indulge in community services that help younger children. It’s not just about the words, but something to actually give back to the community,” Mister International Organization Managing Director Lukanand Kshetrimayum told the Cebu media on November 12 at a post-finals press conference in Il Corso Mall.
The rest of the top five couldn’t attend the event as they had already left Cebu, including Diamante who had to work the next day.
Perfect host city
Kshetrimayum, who previously competed as India’s representative in Mister International 2022 where he finished as first runner-up, expressed no reservations when the organization proposed Cebu as the host city for this year’s edition.
Cebuano designer Lemuel Rosos, the pageant’s director, was equally enthusiastic. He told The FREEMAN: “I didn’t hesitate and said yes immediately because I knew our friends and LGU partners would be supporting us.”
Responding to the positive reactions about the production value of the finals, Rosos responded, “It was made possible because of pageant fans here in Cebu, the efforts of Mister International Organization, and our partners.”
Cebu City Chief Tourism Operations Officer Neil Odchigue added, “Production was top-tier with Lemuel Rosos at the helm and his team that elevated the standards for male pageants on a different level. Because of the support from Toledo City and other cities and municipalities, Cebu is grateful for their warmth, which added to its success.”
Kshetrimayum jested that the next host city would have big shoes to fill. “Everyone put this production to a level that makes me concerned for next year,” he said. “As long as we have the spirit of Cebu, we can pull it off again next year because we have their essence of love.”
Odchigue also said that hosting Mister International in Cebu will provide new tourism opportunities with positive word of mouth from global candidates.
“It will show the world what Cebu has to offer, not just the capital city but the entire island. There are 25 international delegates who came to our place and appreciated our culture. I talked to all of them and they said this didn’t feel like a competition, but more like a vacation which boosted their morale and improved their standing in the competition,” he said.
He added, “Despite the language barrier, the candidates were able to gel together and our people are gracious enough to welcome them all. All of them presented their best because they felt happy and at home.”
Kshetrimayum further reiterated, “Being here is so full of immense emotions that we can feel, from the food here and the warmth of the people. I am so happy that Fran told me last night that he will share the great narrative of Cebu throughout the world.”
No one is more sad to leave Cebu than Balarin, who will return to Peru with great experiences to share with friends and family as well as new buddies to remember from the competition.
“The worst thing that could happen during my stay in Cebu is the fact I am flying back to Peru,” said model-actor Balarin.
“I am going to miss the people here, but I do need to see my family and friends so it’s not that sad for me, but that is something that is going to be hard to accept.”
As an adrenaline junkie, he enjoyed canyoneering with his co-candidates at Kawasan Falls in Badian.
Other activities included visiting the St. Anthony de Padua Church in Tuburan, the swimwear competition in Tabuelan, and a formal wear fashion show at Fort San Pedro. Because of these fun memories, Zafra is already considering visiting the country again.
His advice for those who want to join Mister International next year? “If this is something you like to do and you feel like you want to seriously pursue this, go all out,” Zafra said. — (FREEMAN)