‘Ginoo’ David Licauco reminisces on pageant past at Mister and Miss Chinatown Philippines contest

MANILA, Philippines—“Pambansang Ginoo” David Licauco is currently enjoying his monumental rise to fame after his career-shaking portrayal of “Fidel” in the top-rating GMA primetime series “Maria Clara at Ibarra.” He landed the project almost a decade since he was discovered in a pageant—the Mister and Miss Chinatown Philippines competition.

The Kapuso actor, who is now playing the role of “Carding” in the television adaptation of the blockbuster movie “Maging Sino Ka Man” on GMA, waxed nostalgic when he returned to the said pageant’s stage nine years since he was proclaimed as Mister Chinatown first runner-up in 2014.

“Gusto ko lang magpasalamat sa [Miss] Chinatown Foundation for inviting me here. It’s an honor kasi dito ako nanggaling (I would like to thank the Miss Chinatown Foundation for inviting me here. It’s an honor because this is where I came from),” he said.

Licauco sang the theme song of his current primetime series at the 2023 Mister and Miss Chinatown Philippines pageant’s coronation show held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City on Nov. 19.

“Seeing all the candidates, kasi pinagdaanan ko rin ito dati, kaya nakakatuwa. Nakaka-miss, naramdaman ko iyong excitement and kaba. Naaalala ko dati kinakabahan din ako, so grabe iyan (I also went through this before, that’s why I’m filled with joy. I missed this, I felt the excitement and the nerves. I remember I was also nervous before, that was tough). Good luck guys,” Licauco said as he concluded his number with the final 12 delegates onstage.

The main titles went to Newson Uy and Jercy So, with Lance Tiu and Allysandrea Tan as first runners-up in both categories. Matthew So rounded up the winners’ circle in the male division as second runner-up, while former Mutya ng Pilipinas runner-up Justine Teng finished third in the female division.

The Mister and Miss Chinatown Philippines pageant is an annual competition mounted by the Miss Chinatown Foundation that gathers young Filipino-Chinese men and women around the country to promote the modern “Chinoy” and celebrate their heritage and roots.

Aside from Licauco, the pageant has also produced 2016 Miss Grand International first runner-up Nicole Cordoves, who was crowned Miss Chinatown Philippines in 2014. Reigning Miss World Philippines-Charity Cassandra Chan was proclaimed Miss Chinatown Philippines in 2021.