MANILA, Philippines—Twenty-one-year-old model-turned-actor Marvin Raymundo was the country’s representative to the prestigious 13th Annual Manhunt International Model Contest 2008 held in Seoul on June 2.

Marvin stood out in the gathering of 50 of the world’s best male models—he was declared Manhunt International 2008’s Mr. Personality.

Marvin is a familiar face on television, as he is one of the ASAP Coverboys and is a member of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic Batch 15.

With top fashion designer Frederick Peralta’s creations complementing Marvin’s stage presence, he drew a lot of attention during the competition.

Wearing outfits inspired by indigenous Philippine designs, he showed everyone that Filipinos can really stand out in a world-class crowd.

During the competition, Marvin took the lead among the top 15 Manhunt International 2008 semi-finalists who came from Hong Kong, England, Panama, India, China, Brazil, Luxembourg, United States, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Sweden, Angola, Morocco and Korea.

Landing in the 4th Runner-up position was Mr. Angola, Claudio Furtado, while the 3rd Runner-up spot went to Mr. Korea, Lee Jae-Hwan. Mr. Costa Rica Cesar Vegas won 2nd Runner-up and Mr. Sweden Egill Arnljots was awarded 1st Runner-up. Mr. Morocco Abdelmoumen El Maghraouy won the title Winner of Manhunt International 2008.

Super spoke to Marvin about his career, the competition and how it felt to bring pride to the country.

How did you feel when you found out that you were representing the Philippines in the Manhunt International Model Contest 2008?

I was truly flattered and I felt that it was such an honor to be chosen among many hopefuls. I promised myself that I would give the competition my all and represent my country the best way that I can.

What went on in your mind when you were chosen as one of the 15 semi-finalists of the competition out of the 50 contestants?

I was really surprised at first but afterwards, I felt overwhelmed with pride. I knew that while I carried on my shoulders the personal goal of succeeding in this competition, I was also aware that all along, I was our country’s standard bearer. So being recognized was really a big, big thing for me.

What was your most memorable experience through the entire competition?

I will always remember the moment when I was presented the Manhunt International 2008 Mr. Personality award. Also, visiting Seoul for the first time was a real blast for me. It is such a beautiful city where the past and present are in harmony. There you’ll see ancient gates alongside modern buildings, age-old temples along major thoroughfares. It’s really amazing!

What do you think of your national costume?

(It) was designed by Frederick Peralta. It really helped a lot because the designs showcased Filipino talent at its best.

Who among the delegates became your friends during the competition?

Everyone there was really friendly but I really became friends with Mr. Bosnia Anel Korjenic and Mr. India Romeo Gates. We got to know each other better and found out that even though we’re from three different countries, we still had a lot in common. All of us were yearning to be back home with our loved ones.

What was the most valuable thing you learned from this experience?

I believe that the most remarkable lesson I’ve learned from joining Manhunt International is the realization that while we come from different backgrounds—different cultures, different races—we are, at the end of the day, still one and the same. We are driven by different passions but we have similar dreams for ourselves.