He’s the second ever winner from the Philippines
Mr Gay World crowned John Jeffrey ‘Janjep’ Carlos as the winner of the 2019 crown on Saturday (4 May).
Carlos is the second Filipino and Asian person to win the pageant, held in Cape Town, South Africa. He beat 21 other candidates in the final round.
Francisco Alvarado, from Spain, came in second, followed by Hungary’s Oliver Pusztan, Thailand’s Cjayudhom Samibat, and Belgium’s Nick Van Vooren.
He succeeded the 2018 winner Jordan Bruno, from Australia. The other Fillipino winner is John Fernandez Raspado, who won in 2017.
Janjep posted a video on the Mr Gay World 2019 YouTube channel saying one of his main advocacies is mental health awareness, as he works with Mental Health PH. He plans to particularly fight against depression.
The 41-year-old said: ‘Depression is real and it has caused the tragic loss of lives. Depression is a real illness that can be treated if properly diagnosed.
‘With love and understanding of people undergoing depression, this illness can be transformed into wellness.’
Janjep competed in Mr Gay World Philippines twice and won the title last year. This paved the way for his winning appearance in this year’s competition.
He also walked away with Best in National Costume and Best in Written Exam.
The show was hosted in South Africa for the fourth time in the organization’s 11-year history.
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