2019 Mr. World bets at Tuloy Foundation and at Bench

Left: The 2019 Mr. World contestants during a visit to Fr. Marciano “Rocky” Evangelista’s Tuloy Foundation where they brought cheers to 800 children last Aug. 10

According to Fr. Rocky, “We started Tuloy in 1993 to rescue street children, and give them a home, direction, and the skills they need in the real world. We had 12 children then in a 40-square-meter room in Don Bosco. Since then we have helped more than 20,000 children. We take care of the children. But Tuloy doesn’t belong to me, these children belong to the world. We give these children a caring and nurturing environment, and provide them with their basic needs.”

The contestants dubbed as “the world’s most desirable men” were accompanied by Miss World Organization chairman and CEO Julia Morley, 2018 Miss World Vanessa Ponce of Mexico and 2016 Miss World Stephanie del Valle of Puerto Rico.

During the 2017 Miss World finals in Sanya, China, Morley bestowed on Fr. Rocky and Tuloy Foundation the coveted Miss World Humanitarian Award.

Rohit Khandelwal of India who won in 2016 will finally relinquish his title during the grand finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Aug. 23. Philippine entry is Jody “JB” Saliba.

Right: The 2019 Mr. World contestants were treated to a shopping spree at Bench’s Bonifacio High Street flagship store last Wednesday, Aug. 14, welcomed by no less than the man himself, Ben Chan. They enjoyed good food at the store’s café and the best part of all was they received vouchers to shop to their hearts’ content.

Around for more than 30 years, Bench has achieved the distinction of being present virtually in every retail space in the Philippines, and has built a worldwide network of stores and outlets, reaching as far as the US, the Middle East, and China.

The Mr. World finals will be held on Friday, Aug. 23, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, covered by GMA.