BUSINESSMAN PHILANTHROPIST LAUNCHES VIRTUAL CHALLENGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP THE ENTERTAINMENT AND PAGEANT PRESS IN TIME OF PANDEMIC
By Noli A. Berioso
LBGTQi noble personality and Mr. Gay World Philippines Organization top honcho Wilbert Ting Tolentino has launched a virtual competition in social media for the members of the press and pageant bloggers primarily to give assistance and to keep the spirit of the industry that is close to his heart alive in this time of crisis. Tagged as SIR WIL MEDIA CHALLENGE, the online contest attracted hundreds of applicant with more than fifty correspondents from various newspapers, websites and blogs in the country made it to the final list.
An active member of the LGBTQ community here and abroad, Tolentino started to conceptualize online competitions early this year when the news about the lethal virus has reached Philippine shores. Initial feedbacks both from the participants and followers were overwhelming starting from the inaugural online search “The Queen of Lockdown 2020 Pagirl/Pahard Challenge”(for gays), six more virtual competitions followed with different themes in a span of 3 months : SIR WIL CUTIE CUTIE QUEST CHALLENGE ( for families), ONLINE STAR INFLUENCER SEASON 1 and Season 2 (for social media influencers), SIR WIL DRAG QUEEN CHALLENGE – THE ULTIMATE IMPERSONATION CONTEST (for impersonators and entertainers), THE PHILIPPINES’ MOST BEAUTIFUL BEKI ONLINE PAGEANT – QUEEN OF BECOi 2020 (for Gays and Transgender Women), WIL OR NO WIL GAME SHOW ( for everyone), GINOONG QUARANTINO 2020 * ( for entertainment, ramp, TVC male models and male pageant aspirants).
Aside from his tele-marketing business in the country, Wilbert Tolentino is the man behind the successful clubs and entertainment bars within the metropolis (Farenheit, One 690 Entertainment Bar, Apollo). A multi-title holder of various contests here and abroad, he consistently championing the LGBT community by organizing pageants that are distinctively pink and gay. His winners were mostly triumphant in their respective competitions notably the two representatives in Mr. Gay World pageant (John Raspado and JanJep Carlos in 2017 and 2019 respectively).
In between online virtual contests, he also makes it a point to do his share in supporting our frontliners who volunteered themselves as part of the government personnels to combat the fatal virus and the less fortunate people by providing them basic needs (foods, medicine etc.) to ease up the burden brought by the fortuitous contagion.
To date, the single parent entrepreneur had given-away prizes in cash and in kind worth close to Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00) to the winners and participants of the online contests. With the enormous success of the series of competitions members of the LGBTQi and people from all walks of life can now expect a ray of light to strive and be optimistic in spite of all the hindrances that made most of us unproductive in the past months.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the officers and staff of the SIR WIL MEDIA CHALLENGE AND OTHER ONLINE SERIES CONTEST for the opportunity to be productive during quarantine period and we look forward to more worthwhile projects in the coming months until life gets back to normal.
Wilbert Tolentino –Chairman and President, Ryan Sotto – VP for Guidelines and Editor, Frankendal Fabroa – Monitoring Editor, Gelbert Aplal – Photographer, Videographer and Visual Artist, Chad Jonas – Finance Officer, Rodgil Rodin Flores – Vice Chairman, Writer and Director, Kristine Caballero-Aplal – In-House Host, JayJay Palao, Christopher Cornel and Enan Cruz – Team Leaders.
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