Not everyone knows that gay pageants are not only fodder for internet virality or the butt of a joke, they can also be an important program for advocacies. Behind the online highlights is a space where personal histories meet public platforms.
This is the case for Mr. Gay Sugbo 2025, held during this year’s Cebu PRIDE festivities, where 14 contestants competed not just for a crown, but for a chance to represent and serve. Emerging as this year’s winner was Shun Romarate, who delivered not only a poised performance but a resonant platform centered on ending the stigma surrounding HIV. His final speech emphasized the importance of compassion, education, and the simple but radical act of loving people as they are.
Romarate was joined by four other winners: Glosim Abal (first runner-up), John Patrick Colina (second runner-up), Benedicto Rizon (third runner-up) and Sean Neri Doba (fourth runner-up). At its core, Mr. Gay Sugbo continues to push what a pageant can mean. For the organizing team led by Cebu City Youth Development Office and pageant president Christian Emmanuel Enriquez, the competition stands on three pillars: the word gay, advocacy and youth. These may sound simple, but they carry weight in a country where visibility for queer voices, especially in local government or youth-centered policymaking, remains limited.
Celebration of authenticity
According to Enriquez, the pageant’s candidates are screened with more than stage presence in mind. They go through personal interviews and background checks to ensure they can walk the talk.
“This is not business to us,” he said. “These are friends coming together, supporting each other and making sure they are able not only to take spaces, but to fill in the needs of the organization.” This year, the partnership with Cebu City Government’s Anti-Discrimination Commission, Repos Angels and Cebu Pride Movement, highlighted the growing urgency of youth-driven HIV education, particularly with infection rates rising among young Filipinos.
This year’s pageant also defied expectations by letting candidates express their full gender identities without restriction. The competition moved away from the long-standing trope of overly masculinized portrayals. Instead, it celebrated flamboyance, vulnerability and individuality. Contestants wore creative PRIDE outfits, formal wear and bore emotional testimonies about their communities and causes. “We want our candidates to show their gayness — not hide it,” said co-organizer Regi Nam of LoveYourself Cebu.
One of the most powerful moments came during the final Q&A, where Romarate spoke directly to those who feel unseen or unworthy, expressing a desire to reach out to those still afraid to embrace themselves.
But what happens after the crown is just as important as what happens on stage. The Mr. Gay Sugbo organization stays connected with its alumni, offering continuous mentorship and support. “There are so many people who enter pageants broken and leave just as broken,” Enriquez said. “We want to change that.”
As Cebu transitions to a new city administration, the team remains confident that their advocacy will endure. With strong ties to local offices and consistent engagement with grassroots communities, Mr. Gay Sugbo is positioned to keep going, regardless of shifting political winds. “Whether or not the new mayor supports us, we will keep going,” Nam stated.