Cozan Gabriel
T. Reyes
HE JOINED pageants and modelling to help boost his confidence. Now, newly crowned Mactan Island Cebu 2017 Cozan Gabriel T. Reyes plans to use his title to promote Mactan not just locally but also internationally.
“It is home to many five-star hotels as well as marine sanctuary sites.
The island is also rich in our country’s history, like the Mactan Shrine where the battle of Mactan in the year 1521 took place.
It is also renowned for their world-class guitars,” he told Cebu Daily News.
Being Internet and technology-savvy, Reyes said he wants to share information about Mactan Island through the use of social media.
“Technology can make the sharing of information faster to promote Mactan and the entire Cebu, not just only here in the Philippines but internationally.
It can promote tourism, boost the economy and help those who are jobless,” he said. A resident of Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, the 18-year-old senior high school student from the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) is the third winner of the Mr. Mactan Island Cebu title, besting 14 other candidates in this year’s pageant.
The coronation night was held last September 16 at Sugbahan Restaurant in Mandaue City and was organized by Visayan Tropics Outfitters and Steff Enriquez Photography.
Mr. Mactan Island’s advocacies include sustainable tourism and marketing through responsible social media promotion.
Reyes started modeling when he was 16 years old, then later joined pageants.
He was crowned Mr. Bolinawan (Carcar City) last year.
He believes that male pageantry can also help in promoting tourism just like pageants for women. “I am for equality. What women can do, we can also do,” Reyes said as he also encouraged other men to join pageants.
Reyes also recalled the question and answer portion, where he was asked what’s the first thing he would do if he were the president. He admitted that he was nervous when he heard the question and even scratched his head. “For me, poverty is a big issue.
I would like to help people who are jobless, uneducated. I want to give jobs.
I want to give education. I want to give healthcare. President Duterte did his job in cleaning our streets from drugs. But what makes people go to drugs is because of poverty and joblessness. That is what triggered them to choose the path.
If we help these people and choose the right track, they will be helpful to the society,” he shared his winning answer to Cebu Daily News.
After winning Mr. Mactan Island Cebu 2017, Reyes wants to take things slow and has no plans yet of joining national pageants. “I’m still young and I want to take it slow and train my body, mind, and attitude to have confidence para moabot ang time maka ingon ko nga yes, ready nako,” he smiled.