Why Kirk Bondad was missing at the MUPH 2025 finals

Eagle-eyed pageant observers were quick to notice that Kirk Bondad was not among his fellow Mister Pilipinas Worldwide 2025 winners who attended the recent Miss Universe Philippines 2025 final competition.

And among the interesting reasons some netizens came up with was that he was with another popular personality who was also inconspicuously missing at the event held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on May 2 — Miss Universe Organization CEO Anne Jakrajutatip.

The two were spotted at the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Charity Gala event held two days prior to the finals at Okada Manila in Parañaque City, and were caught on video catching up with one another.

Bondad and Jakrajutatip were seen in a video that circulated before, showing them with his elder brother Clint, and stirred controversy among pageant fans around the world.

But Bondad, who received the Mister Pilipinas-International title at the recent national male competition, belied the rumors that he was with Jakrajutatip on May 2.

“I was in La Union,” he said at the victory press conference with his fellow Mister Pilipinas Worldwide 2025 winners held at Citadines Millenium Ortigas in Pasig City on Tuesday afternoon, May 6.

A person privy to Bondad’s trip to La Union revealed with INQUIRER.net on the evening of the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 finale that he would have to skip the coronation show because of contractual obligations with sponsors of the male contest.

Bondad shared that even if he was not at the venue, he still watched the national pageant online, throwing his support behind the candidates who paraded on stage that evening.

He also vowed to post the Philippines’ second win in the Mister International pageant, and bring home the title from the competition set to take place in Thailand in September.

Bondad had just competed in the Mister World pageant in Vietnam late last year, finishing in the semifinals. He had previously hoped to compete in the Mister Supranational contest, but revealed two days before the national male tilt’s finals that he was eyeing the Mister International pageant instead.

The other national male titleholders also set their expectations high for themselves in their respective international competitions, with Jether Palomo even declaring that he is certain of a back-to-back for the Philippines in Mister Global where the reigning winner is Filipino king Dom Corilla.

Kenneth Cabungcal will be the first to compete abroad as he is set to fly to Poland for the 2025 Mister Supranational contest, that will be held in tandem with the 2025 Miss Supranational pageant in June.

Kitt Cortez said there are still no details where and when the Mister Eco International contest will be held, while Raven Lansangan will be sent to next year’s Manhunt International: Male Supermodel competition

Lansangan’s predecessor Jordan San Jose, who won in the previous edition of the national male search, is set to fly to Thailand for this year’s Manhunt International: Male Supermodel.

The longest-running international male competition postponed its 2023 contest because of unforeseen developments in the erstwhile host country, and the Philippines’ representative for that year Kenneth Stromsnes competed in 2024 instead.

Stromsnes relinquished his national title to San Jose before he was able to see action abroad, the same way San Jose passed his title to Lansangan before he could compete in the international contest.

The two runners-up will also compete in international contests. First runner-up Michael Angelo Toledo will join the Man of the Year search, while second runner-up Kenneth Marcelino will be sent to Mister Cosmopolitan.

The Mister Pilipinas Worldwide competition is organized by Empire Philippines, the same team behind the annual Miss Universe Philippines pageant.