“GenXins” Mark Mr. and Ms. Chinatown Philippines’ Monumental 10 Years

The 10th year of Mr. and Ms. Chinatown Philippines (MMCP) gets underway with 20 young Chinoys and Chinays, or “GenXins”, all vying for the chance to be the next ambassador and ambassadress of the Chinese-Filipino youth.

Currently the only pageant in the Philippines for the Chinoy community, MMCP is the flagship project of Miss Chinatown Foundation, which it co-organizes with CHiNOY TV. For its 2023 edition, the project will be represented by 10 male and 10 female hopefuls, or known as GenXins, who come from various schools and backgrounds, ranging from athletes to entertainment professionals.

“GenXin originated from Generation and Xin, which means ‘new’, so we coined this word to depict the next generation Chinoys”, shares CHiNOY TV President, Alvin Kingson Tan. “With the candidates being mostly from the Gen-Z generation, we are utilizing MMCP as a platform for GenXins to share their ideas, improve themselves, but more than anything, for them to be appreciative of their Chinoy roots.”

Mikko Araneta, who is MMCP’s Pageant Director since 2018, adds that the project’s 10-year mark is also an opportunity to broaden its vision and contributions to the wider community. “I think we are trying to redefine what pageantry means in this time and age. Aside from the gloss and spectacle, it really is about the contestant’s journey and what meaning they can draw out of it, when the contest is done.”

All candidates will be taking part in a series of training sessions and challenges to help them learn more about their culture, discover their skills, and showcase their potential, such as the Cultural Costume Competition or Chinatown Day, where they will parade in elaborate getups that symbolize Chinoy culture. There will also be a Ting Hun-inspired Chinatown Ball which will take place in Hilton Manila. Finally, the GenXins’ journey will culminate on 19 November 2023, where they face off for the last time at the Coronation Night in Newport World Resorts Manila.

Witness the journey of MMCP’s 10th-year candidates, or GenXins, by following Mr. and Ms. Chinatown Philippines and CHiNOY TV on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The same will be shown in a four-part limited series of the documentary Chinese By Blood, Filipino By Heart, which airs on CNN Philippines.