Apart from business and math, the Filipino-Chinese community is also known for having a fair share of creative people, such as models. And modeling isn’t easy — it’s an art that takes excellent skill and precision to get the perfect shot.
Here are some Chinoy models in our local industry:
1. Cassandra Berneo Chan
Known to be a professional ballet dancer, teacher and model from San Juan City, Cassandra Chan is the reigning Miss Chinatown 2020.
“Growing up, my mother was very much into fashion and clothing,” Chan shared. “She would have stacks upon stacks of magazines in our house back in the States and I would read them with her. Since then, I’ve always been mesmerized by editorial models and fashion. After migrating to the Philippines, my desire to try out modeling began when I joined a catwalk workshop under Mr. Jonas Gaffud. He invited me to join [the] GLAM 2019 competition and an exclusive contract was offered to me since then.”
She is an exclusive talent of Mercator Model Management. She has starred in various commercials, print ads, and fashion shows. She has also worked with designers such as Prima Villarama, Cheetah Rivera, Albert Andrada, Antoine Branch and Leo Almodal.
2. Justin Yap
Justin Yap won the first-ever pageant he joined, Mr. and Ms. Chinatown 2020. He is the pride of Tacloban City,
He graduated from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management with honors and has a post-graduate degree in International Hotel Management in Les Roches Shanghai.
“It has always been a dream of mine to experience to be a model,” Yap shared. “I’ve started my interest in modeling maybe because I like to dress up every time I go out. I want to look my best and presentable every time. I think I got this trait of mine from my mom. As of now, I don’t consider myself a model yet since I believe that my path and career in this industry [are both] just starting, but winning Mr. Chinatown, I hope that I would be able to experience how it feels like.”
3. Reins Mika
Known for winning the Digital Creator category of the international modeling competition Elite Model Look 2020, Reins Mika has done the Philippines proud, representing the country to the world. She is also the first Filipina to win the competition in the Digital category.
4. Lisette Bendicion
As a full-blooded Chinese born but raised in Manila, Bendicion is currently in her last year in dentistry studies but does modeling on the side during her spare time.
“Modeling is just a hobby for me. I enjoy traveling to new places for my shoot, then got to try new restos around the area after the shoot and most importantly got to take good pictures for my Instagram content!” she shared. “However modeling is not my dream job. I want to pursue dentistry. Dentistry is what really interests me so much, and soon I’ll get my DMD title! Time will come. I have my trust in the Big Guy up there!”
5. Camile Buenaventura
A graduate of BS Management Information Systems from Ateneo de Manila University in 2014, she is currently the operations head of a plastics manufacturing company, a board member in the cosmetics industry, and first runner-up of Mr. & Ms. Chinatown 2020.
“I’ve always wanted to become a model, but I’ve also always found reasons not to pursue it,” Buenaventura shared. “I consider myself a late bloomer. I joined a pageant at 26 and only started modeling around that age. Now that I’m older and I’m more in tune with who I am, there is a newfound awareness of how I can use my face and my body to converse with the audience through the lens of a camera, which made me interested in modeling in the first place!”
6. Kevin Christopher Ty
Both a financial adviser and a TVC model, Ty considers modeling as a hobby and something he enjoys aside from acting in TV commercials.
7. Don Tang
A graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University, Don Tang is in the business of advertising. Tang currently works as a corporate marketing manager for one of the country’s largest media networks.
“I’ve always wanted to give modeling a shot ever since I can remember,” Tang shared. “My mom wanted to be a model herself but my grandparents were strict so it was something she struggled pursuing back then. But the thing is, I’ve also always been very shy, and that pretty much held me back when I would be invited or asked to audition for stuff. It wasn’t until joining Mr & Ms. Chinatown that I felt a little more comfortable with myself and started being a lot more open to it. Right now, the modeling opportunities that come my way are something I take seriously so I see how this hobby can turn into a passion for me.”
For more accomplished Chinoys outside the field of business, check out our article on Chinoy PBA players.