Pinoy wins 2 awards in Mr. Gay World competition

A Filipino bagged two awards in the Mr. Gay World competition in South Africa on Sunday (Manila time).   Carlito Floro Rosadino Jr. won the best national costume award for his sarimanok-inspired outfit, complete with a gold headdress and mechanical wings on the finals night of the competition held in Johannesburg.   The 27-year-old representative of the Philippines was also chosen as one of the Top 10 finalists. He likewise won the People’s Choice Award after besting 21 other competitors in terms of online votes.   On his Twitter page, Rosadino thanked all Filipinos who voted for him during the competition. He also posted pictures showing how much he enjoyed his South Africa experience. []   New Zealand’s Andreas Derleth was named the winner of the competition, while host country’s Lance Weyer won 1st runner up.   The competition was held for the first time in Africa, a continent where most countries still maintain sodomy laws, sometimes punishable by death.    Last year, the Mr. Gay World competition was held in Manila, where Philippine representative Marc Ernest Biala also bagged the best in national costume and popularity in online voting awards.   The Mr. Gay World competition started in 2009 and is backed by the Mr. Gay World organization.   According to its website, the organization “seeks to fight discrimination and stigma within the gay men community.” - VVP, GMA News