From Prestige to Pandemonium: Musclecontest Philippines 2025 Becomes a National Embarrassment

Picture taken at 6:15am, show day.

(Scroll down pagkatapos ng Winner’s List para sa Tagalog version ng artikulong ito.)

What was expected to be one of the Philippines’ most prestigious bodybuilding events — Musclecontest Philippines 2025 — turned out to be one of the most disorganized, disappointing, and embarrassing shows the Philippine bodybuilding community has ever witnessed.

From the chaotic athlete check-in on Friday, October 24, to the disastrous main event on Saturday, October 25 at the Upper Deck Sports Center, the entire weekend left athletes, coaches, and spectators in disbelief.

Check-In Chaos: “Money Grab” or Mismanagement?

Athlete check-in was the first red flag. With limited space at the designated venue, organizers tried to move everyone through the mandatory check-in, tanning, and event debriefing in small groups. But with tanning already happening in the same area, registration forms being filled out, and debriefings being given simultaneously, the process quickly spiraled into confusion. Competitors were trying to tan, check in, and listen to instructions all at once — a logistical nightmare that set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

To make matters worse, the facility remained open to the public, with regular members coming in for their workouts while competitors scrambled for space. Athletes were seen sitting on gym equipment and even on the floors because there was nowhere else to go. The fact that the organizers didn’t book the location for a private event was the first sign of poor planning and total disregard for professionalism.

The tanning area for women was placed inside the gym’s bathroom — cramped, poorly ventilated, and lacking privacy. At one point, a mother and her young son unknowingly walked in on four female bodybuilders applying tan. “It was mortifying,” one competitor recalled. “The look on that mother’s face said it all — she was speechless. This is supposed to be a professional show.”

Show Day: The Disaster Unfolds

By 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 25, athletes began arriving at the Upper Deck Sports Center for their second tanning session — only to find that the organizers and setup crew were nowhere to be seen. The competitors had literally arrived before the people running the show. The event was scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m., but athletes already knew there was no chance of that happening.

“You can’t tell me they put the athletes first,” said one female competitor. “We train for months, some even fly in from overseas, and you can’t even show up before your athletes? We arrived before the setup crew.”

The female prep area was located across the sports complex, forcing athletes to rush back and forth between tanning, hair, makeup, and stage calls with no runner provided — something that was desperately needed given the distance and disorganization. Only two makeup artists and one hair stylist were assigned to over a dozen female athletes, and shockingly, they had to share them with male competitors. It’s simple math — if it takes 35 to 45 minutes to do one competitor’s makeup or hair, and there are more than a dozen athletes signed up, how did the organizers expect to start preparations after 6:00 a.m. and still be ready for the 10:00 a.m. stage time they themselves had announced? Ironically, the only reason hair and makeup were finished on time was because of the organizers’ own epic fail in setting up the show space — they got lucky in that sense.

The tanning setup was done inside the male and female locker rooms — not private by any means. Public attendees, including children, walked into areas where competitors were fully naked, drying or applying tan. Originally, the organizers had planned to allocate a 12x12-foot space for all athletes to prep in — a laughable area for a show of this scale. Only after pushback from the competitors did they grant slightly more room, still nowhere near adequate.

“It wasn’t just uncomfortable,” one bikini athlete said. “It was inappropriate. We were fully naked while the 2 male workers doing hair and makeup walked in and out freely. I don’t care if they were gay — that wasn’t the point. They were still in a private female space, a female bathroom that was being used by the public. Those women didn’t want any man in their private space; they had to get changed and use the bathroom there too. Their wellbeing was totally ignored.”

To make matters worse, athletes themselves had to set up fans to help their tan dry — because the organizers hadn’t provided sufficient ventilation or even turned on the air conditioners early enough to help relieve the heat.

The Venue: A Barangay Show With a Global Price Tag

The decision to hold the most prestigious bodybuilding event in the Philippines inside a shared gymnasium was nothing short of insulting — not only to the IFBB Pro and NPC Worldwide brands, but to every athlete who spent months preparing for their moment to earn points or possibly turn pro.

Having Musclecontest Philippines in a public sports hall was an embarrassment. While athletes posed under harsh lights, children’s badminton tournaments and women’s volleyball practices were happening just meters away — separated only by a massive blue tarp. For an event that markets itself as “world-class,” this was a humiliating downgrade.

The lighting was another disaster. It was arguably the worst of any bodybuilding event many competitors had ever seen — flat, harsh, and completely washing out physiques on stage. Competitors’ physiques — honed through months of brutal training and precise dieting — were completely washed out under poor, uneven stage lighting. For a sport that depends on visual precision, it was unforgivable.

“This was like a local barangay show with the price tag of a global event,” said one coach. “Either this was a money grab or a desperate attempt to stretch a budget they so clearly didn’t have.”

Spectators were charged ₱1,300 for general admission, while coaches had to pay ₱10,000 for a backstage pass. Foreign athletes who flew in from around the world couldn’t believe it — calling it “the most expensive show they’d ever competed in.” To pay international-level prices for a show held in a gymnasium was, as many called it, “the clearest proof that this was a money grab.”

IFBB Global’s Reputation at Stake

What shocked most attendees was that such a sub-par production could be allowed under the IFBB Global banner — the very organization that prides itself on being the gateway to the Olympia.

“If IFBB is the mecca of bodybuilding, the one ticket to Mr. Olympia, how were these standards even allowed?” one pro competitor asked. “It’s embarrassing. They should reevaluate their partnership with whoever’s running Musclecontest Philippines.”

This is now their second year of failure. The 2023 event was the first — plagued by chaos that included the sole air conditioner in the female tanning area being moved to the judges’ section to keep them comfortable while female competitors were left sweating in a cramped space trying to air dry their tan. Add to that a power outage that forced tanners to switch to manual application, and the infamous “crawl-space incident,” where men were caught sneaking peeks at female athletes drying their tans.

The 2024 show, under organizer Mizo, was a complete turnaround — a miracle recovery that erased the negative residue from the prior year’s disaster and restored the professionalism expected of an IFBB-level show. Sadly, 2025 sent the reputation crashing down once again.

Competitor Reactions: Voices From the Frontline

Competitors and attendees were united in their frustration. Many were in disbelief over what they were hearing about the chaos surrounding the event — from setup delays to unprofessional handling of athletes.

Foreign competitors, meanwhile, were met with shouting staff and language barriers. “Some of the foreigners told me the organizers kept yelling at them in Tagalog,” one athlete shared. “They couldn’t understand, so I translated for them. I even apologized on behalf of the Philippines because this wasn’t the image we wanted to represent.”

Others described the event as a complete disaster — “the worst NPC show I’ve ever attended. Even small barangay-level competitions are more organized than this,” said one competitor. “The venue was hot, the lighting awful, and the staff rude. At 5 a.m., athletes were ready, but the organizers weren’t even there. What a mess.”

Another athlete recounted how the delays ruined his peak timing: “I missed my window. I looked flat on stage and was drenched in sweat under the lights. Even the pros were sweating so badly that the head judge asked for retouching. The staff were shouting at us like we were the problem. Honestly, it was the most stressful show I’ve ever been to. I just wanted it to end.”

The Real Heroes: IFBB / NPC Judges

If there was one bright spot in an otherwise disastrous weekend, it was the IFBB Pro and NPC Worldwide judges. Despite the chaos, the judges did everything they could to keep the show running smoothly. When the lighting setup proved to be a catastrophe — the organizers had brought only two floodlights instead of a proper stage rig — the judges themselves stepped in to help reposition and adjust the lights just to make the athletes visible.

“They were the only ones trying to save the event,” said one coach. “While everyone else scrambled, the judges kept their professionalism. They smiled, encouraged the athletes, and made sure the show kept moving.”

Several athletes shared that the judges made it a point to congratulate and compliment competitors backstage, offering kind words when they walked past or caught someone offstage. Their positivity, grace, and effort stood in stark contrast to the organizers’ negligence. In the end, it was the judges who upheld the dignity of the sport — doing their best to deliver fairness and respect amid chaos.

The Fallout: Broken Trust and a Damaged Legacy

By the end of the weekend, what should have been a milestone event for Philippine bodybuilding had devolved into scandal and outrage. Social media has been flooded with posts condemning the organizers, demanding accountability, and calling for reforms in how bodybuilding shows are licensed and managed in the country.

“This wasn’t a show,” one competitor wrote online. “It was a scam with stage lights.”

The Philippines has long been striving to gain international respect in the global bodybuilding scene. But after Musclecontest Philippines 2025, that goal feels farther away than ever.

PrepLife’s Editorial Stance

At PrepLife, we believe athletes deserve more — more respect, more organization, and more accountability from those entrusted to represent the sport.

Bodybuilding isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about discipline, sacrifice, and pride. To reduce it to a poorly run, profit-driven spectacle is to disrespect every athlete who stepped on that stage — and everyone who will think twice before doing so again.

We also want to make it clear to visiting competitors and spectators: this is not how things are done in the Philippines. The local bodybuilding community holds itself to higher standards. Just last month, events like the KG Classic and AGP Pro Qualifier left audiences in awe — examples of professionalism, excellence, and passion done right. Those organizers elevated the standard for Philippine bodybuilding and gave both athletes and fans an unforgettable experience.

Musclecontest Philippines 2025 was not a “Philippines thing.” It was an organizer’s thing — a reflection of mismanagement, not of the nation’s athletes, fans, or true bodybuilding culture.

Until organizers are held accountable, and until standards are restored, Musclecontest Philippines 2025 will stand as a cautionary tale — proof that when profit outweighs passion, even the most prestigious show can fall into pandemonium.

Editor’s Note:

PrepLife reached out to Musclecontest Philippines for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

And without much ado, here are the Winner's Lists...

MUSCLECONTEST PHILIPPINES 2025 -- PRO SHOW, PRO QUALIFIER & REGIONAL

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Upper Deck Sports Center

Ortigis

PRO SHOW MEN’S PHYSIQUE — OPEN

1st Navid Ali (Japan)

2nd Joven Sagabain (Philippines)

3rd Surojit Dey (India)

4th Raj Kumar Paswan (India)

5th Davoud Taghavi (Iran)

6th Yoon Sung Lee (South Korea)

7th Ahmad Saleh (Kuwait)

8th Gerald Alavazo (Philippines)

9th Ryota Hayashi (Japan)

10th Suppachai Phonklad (Thailand)

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — OVERALL & PRO CARD WINNER

1st Juwon Son

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — PRO QUALIFIER HEAVYWEIGHT

1st Juwon Son

2nd Steven Kruckenberg

3rd Benjamin Nabong Jr

4th Alvin Lim

5th Jeongmin Choi

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — PRO QUALIFIER LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

1st Harvey Mercado

2nd Aljon Cifra

3rd Sangho Lee

4th Geomar Kanowski

5th Manuel Nuezca

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — PRO QUALIFIER MIDDLEWEIGHT

1st Puedam Abakuri

2nd Ruzaini Tahar

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — REGIONAL NOVICE HEAVYWEIGHT

1st Aljon Cifra

2nd Geomar Kanowski

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE HEAVYWEIGHT

1st Amit Biton

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — REGIONAL MASTERS 35+

1st Alvin Lim

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — REGIONAL MASTERS 50+

1st Hendra Purwalaksana

MEN'S BODYBUILDING — REGIONAL MASTERS 60+

1st Patrick Tan

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — OVERALL & PRO CARD WINNER

1st Rhokson Kimakim

 

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS A

1st Rhokson Kimakim

2nd Jordan Lagatoc

3rd Charles Coursey

4th Christian Paul Mintas

5th Hendra Purwalaksana

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS B

1st Aljon Cifra

2nd Mark James M. Mercado

3rd Dale Samson

 

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Kongphol Thongsuk

2nd Kah Wei Leong

3rd Jen Kongrod

4th Amit Biton

5th Burl Jordan

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL NOVICE B

1st Mark James M. Mercado

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE A

1st Bienvenido Sibug

2nd Dale Samson

3rd Fernando Naniong

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE B

1st Kah Wei Leong

2nd Amit Biton

3rd Mark James M. Mercado

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL MASTERS 35+

1st Charles Coursey

2nd Burl Jordan

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL MASTERS 40+

1st Burl Jordan

MEN'S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL MASTERS 50+

1st Hendra Purwalaksana

2nd Joselito Florendo

3rd Noel Naguiat

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — OVERALL & PRO CARD WINNER

1st Puttipong Chanwuttiwong

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS A

1st Puttipong Chanwuttiwong

2nd Dewanda Putra Utama

3rd Kim Roy Auza

4th Jake Levi Briones

5th Jayson Evangelista

6th Fang Chuan Kan

7th Supakorn Dittaruk

8th Rodman Owen Lapuz

9th Jordan Lagatoc

10th Nyein Chan Thu

11th Shridaran Rao

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS B

1st Thanapakorn Boonchalee

2nd John Mark Diespe

3rd Fazrul Muhammad

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Mohammad Asak

2nd Gilbert Lim

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS D

1st Sau Ho Kwok

2nd I Putu Aris Eka Putra

3rd Mick Antonio

4th Xiao Tong Nuguid

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS E

1st Michal Mai Xuan

2nd Dominik Mueller

3rd Ahmad Alsairafi

4th Aziz Jouini

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS F

1st Jefferson Basso Duarte

2nd Achraf Saber

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL NOVICE A

1st Dewanda Putra Utama

2nd Jake Levi Briones

3rd Jayson Evangelista

4th I Wayan Ipang

5th Fazrul Muhammad

6th Jedhomar Sison

7th Nenoy Hortillano

8th Louie Rodrigo

9th Jeiel Concepcion

10th Dlaihan Alrasheedi

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL NOVICE B

1st I Putu Aris Eka Putra

2nd Mick Antonio

3rd Rodney Gonzales

4th Jasper Jude Alvarez

5th Gilbert Lim

6th Xiao Tong Nuguid

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE A

1st Kim Roy Auza

2nd Shridaran Rao

3rd Nenoy Hortillano

4th Jan Paulo Burinaga

5th Bienvenido Sibug

6th Fernando Naniong

 

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE B

1st Dominik Mueller

2nd Rodney Gonzales

3rd Gilbert Lim

4th Shuquan Tang

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL MASTERS 35+

1st Jefferson Basso Duarte

2nd Jeiel Concepcion

3rd Ahmad Alsairafi

4th Xiao Tong Nuguid

5th Eliaser III Sabile

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL MASTERS 40+

1st Jordan Lagatoc

2nd Rowland Ross De Castro

3rd Shuquan Tang

4th Jericho Aguirre

MEN'S PHYSIQUE — REGIONAL MASTERS 50+

1st Hendra Purwalaksana

2nd Joselito Florendo

3rd Noel Naguiat

WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE — OVERALL

1st Remia Buenacosa

WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Remia Buenacosa

WOMEN'S FIGURE — OVERALL

1st Remia Buenacosa

WOMEN'S FIGURE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS A

1st Mary Ann Gulane

2nd Charisma Montierde

WOMEN'S FIGURE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS B

1st Amy Berezowski

 

WOMEN'S FIGURE — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Remia Buenacosa

WOMEN'S FIGURE — REGIONAL MASTERS 40+

1st Remia Buenacosa

WOMEN'S FIGURE — REGIONAL MASTERS 45+

1st Amy Berezowski

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — OVERALL

1st Melissa Choo

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS A

1st Melissa Choo

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS B

1st Sarah Lorenz

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Mikalea Gladden

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS D

1st Anyssa Ward

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — REGIONAL NOVICE A

1st Sarah Lorenz

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — REGIONAL NOVICE B

1st Mikalea Gladden

WOMEN'S WELLNESS — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE A

1st Sarah Lorenz

WOMEN'S BIKINI — OVERALL & PRO CARD WINNER

1st Ching Wen Yang

WOMEN'S BIKINI — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS A

1st Ching Wen Yang

2nd Rowena Todd

3rd Gabriella Hilde Diano

4th Shirley Law

5th Tasana Kongcharoen

6th Chanyanud Odompan

7th Myrahans Lafrelle

8th Arvee Robinson

WOMEN'S BIKINI — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Gillete Montano

WOMEN'S BIKINI — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS D

1st Supatchaya Boonyok

WOMEN'S BIKINI — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS E

1st Shangkari Sivabalan

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL NOVICE A

1st Chanyanud Odompan

2nd Verona Joy De Los Santos Dio

3rd Dimi Javier

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL NOVICE B

1st Shangkari Sivabalan

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE A

1st Dimi Javier

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL MASTERS 35+

1st Rowena Todd

2nd Gillete Montano

3rd Dimi Javier

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL MASTERS 45+

1st Verona Joy De Los Santos Dio

2nd Valerie Contratto

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL MASTERS 50+

1st Arvee Robinson

2nd Valerie Contratto

WOMEN'S BIKINI — REGIONAL MASTERS 60+

1st Arvee Robinson

 

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — OVERALL & PRO CARD WINNER

1st Adrielle Gan

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS A

1st Elissa Ang

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS B

1st Adrielle Gan

2nd Angel Chao

3rd Maria Kurnia

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS C

1st Julia Pine

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — PRO QUALIFIER CLASS D

1st Dawn Bryan Journey

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — REGIONAL NOVICE A

1st Maria Kurnia

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — REGIONAL TRUE NOVICE B

1st Maria Kurnia

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — REGIONAL MASTERS 35+

1st Adrielle Gan

2nd Elissa Ang

3rd Maria Kurnia

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — REGIONAL MASTERS 50+

1st Dawn Bryan Journey

WOMEN'S FIT MODEL — REGIONAL MASTERS 60+

1st Dawn Bryan Journey

Mula sa Prestihiyo Hanggang sa Kaguluhan: Musclecontest Philippines 2025, Isang Nakakahiya at Nakakadismayang Paligsahan

Ang itinuturing sanang isa sa pinaka-prestihiyosong bodybuilding event sa Pilipinas — Musclecontest Philippines 2025 — ay nauwi sa isa sa pinaka-magulong, nakakadismayang, at nakakahiyaang palabas na nasaksihan ng lokal na bodybuilding community.

Mula sa magulong athlete check-in noong Biyernes, Oktubre 24, hanggang sa sablay na main event noong Sabado, Oktubre 25 sa Upper Deck Sports Center, marami ang naiwan sa pagkabigla — mga atleta, coach, at manonood.

Check-In Chaos: “Pangongotong” o Kawalan ng Pamamalakad?

Ang athlete check-in pa lang ay unang senyales ng kapalpakan. Dahil sa limitadong espasyo ng venue, sinubukan ng mga organizer na hatiin ang mga atleta sa maliliit na grupo para sa check-in, tanning, at event briefing. Pero sabay-sabay itong nangyari — may nagtatanning, may nagrerehistro, at may nakikinig ng orientation — dahilan upang maging sobrang magulo at walang sistema ang proseso.

Dagdag pa rito, hindi isinara sa publiko ang pasilidad. Habang abala ang mga atleta sa paghahanda, tuloy lang sa pagwo-workout ang mga regular na miyembro ng gym. Maraming atleta ang napilitang umupo sa sahig at sa mga gym equipment dahil wala silang sariling espasyo. Ang hindi pag-book ng venue para sa private event ay malinaw na patunay ng kakulangan sa pagpaplano at kawalan ng propesyonalismo.

Ang tanning area ng mga babae ay inilagay pa sa banyo ng gym — masikip, walang maayos na bentilasyon, at walang kahit anong privacy. Sa isang punto, isang ina at ang kanyang anak na lalaki ang hindi sinasadyang pumasok habang apat na babaeng bodybuilder ang nag-a-apply ng tan. “Grabe talaga,” sabi ng isang atleta. “’Yung mukha ng nanay na ’yon, hindi makapaniwala. Para itong kabaligtaran ng isang propesyonal na show.”

Show Day: Naging Sakuna ang Palabas

Pagsapit ng alas-5:00 ng umaga, Sabado, Oktubre 25, dumating na ang mga atleta sa Upper Deck Sports Center para sa kanilang pangalawang tanning session — pero wala pa roon ang mga organizer at crew. Nauna pang dumating ang mga atleta kaysa sa mismong mga taong namamahala sa event. Nakatakdang magsimula ng alas-9:00 ng umaga, pero halata nang walang tsansa itong mangyari.

“Sasabihin mo bang inuuna nila ang mga atleta?” wika ng isang babaeng kalahok. “Ilang buwan kaming naghanda, may mga lumipad pa mula sa ibang bansa — tapos hindi man lang kayong mga organizer ang unang dumating? Kami pa ang nauna bago ang setup crew.”

Ang female prep area ay nasa kabilang dulo ng sports complex, kaya’t kailangang magpabalik-balik ng mga atleta mula tanning, sa hair at makeup area, hanggang sa stage calls — walang runner na tumutulong, kahit halatang kailangan ito.

Dalawang makeup artist at isang hair stylist lang ang inassign para sa mahigit isang dosenang babaeng atleta, at nakakagulat, kailangang magsalo pa sila sa mga lalaking atleta. Simple lang ang matematika — kung tumatagal ng 35–45 minuto ang hair o makeup ng bawat isa, paano inaasahan ng mga organizer na matapos lahat pagkatapos ng alas-6:00 ng umaga at maging handa bago ang alas-10:00 na stage time?

Sa totoo lang, swerte na lang ang mga organizer dahil nahuli rin ang setup ng venue — kaya lang natapos sa oras ang hair at makeup.

Ang tanning area naman ay ginawa sa loob ng men’s at women’s locker rooms, kung saan wala ring privacy. May mga bata at bisitang pumapasok habang hubad ang mga atleta na nag-aantay matuyo ang kanilang tan.

Orihinal na plano ng mga organizer na maglaan lang ng 12x12 ft. na espasyo para sa lahat ng atleta — isang katawa-tawang sukat para sa ganitong kalaking kompetisyon. Pagkatapos lang ng reklamo ng mga atleta ay nadagdagan ito, pero kulang pa rin.

“Hindi lang ito basta nakakahiya,” sabi ng isang bikini athlete. “Ito ay kawalang respeto. Hubo’t hubad kaming mga babae habang ’yung dalawang lalaking gumagawa ng buhok at makeup ay labas-pasok lang sa kwarto. Kahit sabihin mong bakla sila, hindi ’yun ang punto. Private na espasyo ’yon ng kababaihan — at ginagamit pa ng publiko ang banyo. Nilapastangan ang privacy at kapakanan namin.”

Mas malala pa, ang mga atleta mismo ang nagkabit ng electric fans para tulungan matuyo ang kanilang tan, dahil hindi man lang sinigurado ng mga organizer na maayos ang bentilasyon o naka-on ang aircon bago dumating ang mga atleta.

The Venue: Barangay Show na May Presyo ng Pandaigdigang Palabas

Ang desisyong gawin ang “pinaka-prestihiyosong bodybuilding event sa Pilipinas” sa loob ng shared gymnasium ay isang insulto — hindi lang sa IFBB Pro at NPC Worldwide, kundi sa bawat atletang nagsakripisyo ng buwan-buwan ng paghahanda para makakuha ng puntos o makuha ang pro card.

Habang nagpapose ang mga atleta sa ilalim ng matitinding ilaw, sa kabilang bahagi ng gym ay may mga batang nagba-badminton at mga kababaihang nagva-volleyball — na tinabingan lang ng asul na trapal. Para sa isang event na itinuturing na “world-class,” ito ay isang kahihiyan.

Ang lighting din ay isang malaking kabiguan. Pinakamasama raw ito sa lahat ng bodybuilding show na nakita ng karamihan — sobrang liwanag at hindi pantay, dahilan para mawash-out ang katawan ng mga atleta. Sa isang sport na nakadepende sa visual precision, ito ay hindi mapapatawad.

“This was like a barangay show with a global price tag,” sabi ng isang coach. “Halatang money grab lang o desperadong pagtatangka para pagdugtungin ang budget na halatang kulang.”

Ang mga manonood ay siningil ng ₱1,300 para sa general admission, habang ₱10,000 naman ang backstage pass ng mga coach. Maraming banyagang atleta ang nagulat — tinawag nila itong “pinakamahal na show na sinalihan nila.” Para magbayad ng ganitong halaga sa isang event na ginanap lang sa gymnasium ay patunay na ito ay purong pangongotong.

IFBB Global sa Gitna ng Iskandalo

Marami ang nagtaka kung paanong pinayagan ng IFBB Global ang ganitong kababang kalidad ng event, gayong ito ang organisasyong tinuturing na “daanan patungong Olympia.”

Sabi ng isang pro competitor, “Kung ang IFBB ang mecca ng bodybuilding — ang tanging daan papunta sa Mr. Olympia — paano pinayagan ang ganitong klaseng pamantayan? Nakakahiya. Dapat nilang muling suriin kung sino talaga ang nagpapatakbo ng Musclecontest Philippines.”

Ito na ang ikalawang taon ng kabiguan ng kumpanyang ito. Noong 2023, ang unang sablay — kung saan ang nag-iisang aircon sa women’s tanning area ay inilipat sa judges’ section upang sila ang komportableng magtrabaho habang ang mga babae ay literal na pinapawisan sa loob. Mayroon ding power outage kaya’t napilitang manu-manong mag-tanning ang staff, at ang sikat na “crawl-space incident,” kung saan nahuling may mga lalaking sumisilip sa mga babaeng nagda-dry ng tan.

Noong 2024, sa ilalim ng organizer na si Mizo, nabawi ang reputasyon at naging maayos muli ang IFBB-level show. Ngunit ngayong 2025, muling bumagsak ang kredibilidad ng pangalan.

Mga Reaksyon ng mga Atleta: Mga Tinig sa Likod ng Entablado

Pare-pareho ang hinaing ng mga atleta at manonood: puro kalituhan, pagkaantala, at kawalan ng respeto mula sa staff.

Ayon sa isang atleta, “Ang mga foreign competitors ay sinisigawan pa sa Tagalog — hindi nila maintindihan. Ako pa ang nag-translate at humingi ng paumanhin sa ngalan ng Pilipinas. Hindi ganito dapat ang imahe nating ipakita.”

Isa pang kalahok ang nagsabing, “Ito na ang pinakamasamang NPC show na nasalihan ko. Mas maayos pa ang mga paligsahan sa barangay kaysa rito. Mainit, maliwanag nang sobra, bastos ang staff. Alas-5:00 ng umaga handa na kami, pero wala pa ring organizer. Anong klaseng event ’to?”

May isa pang atleta na nagsabing, “Hindi ko natama ang timing ng pagkain ko. Pawis na pawis ako sa stage, pati mga pro athletes nangingintab sa pawis. Pati judges, pina-retouch kami. Sobrang stressful. Ang gusto ko na lang ay matapos na.”

Ang Tunay na Bayani: Mga IFBB / NPC Judges

Kung may isa mang magandang bahagi sa buong kaguluhan, iyon ay ang IFBB Pro at NPC Worldwide judges. Sa gitna ng aberya, sila ang nagpanatili ng propesyonalismo. Nang pumalpak ang ilaw dahil dalawang floodlights lang ang dinala ng organizer, mismong mga judge ang tumulong mag-ayos ng ilaw upang maging malinaw ang mga atleta sa entablado.

“Sila lang talaga ang may malasakit,” sabi ng isang coach. “Habang nagkakagulo ang lahat, kalmado sila, ngumingiti, at patuloy na ine-encourage ang mga atleta.”

Nagbigay din ng papuri ang ilang atleta, na nagsabing lumapit pa mismo ang mga judge backstage upang batiin at iangat ang moral ng mga kalahok. Sa huli, sila ang nagpanatili ng dignidad ng sport — nagtrabaho nang may respeto at integridad sa gitna ng kaguluhan.

Pagbagsak ng Tiwala at Reputasyon

Pagsapit ng pagtatapos ng weekend, ang inaasahang “milestone event” ng Philippine bodybuilding ay nauwi sa iskandalo.Punong-puno ang social media ng mga post na humihingi ng accountability at reporma sa paraan ng pagbibigay ng lisensya at pamamahala ng mga bodybuilding event sa bansa.

“This wasn’t a show,” sulat ng isang atleta online. “Isa lang itong scam na may stage lights.”

Matagal nang nagsusumikap ang Pilipinas na makilala sa global bodybuilding scene, ngunit matapos ang Musclecontest Philippines 2025, tila lalo lamang itong lumayo sa layuning iyon.

Paninindigan ng PrepLife

Sa PrepLife, naniniwala kami na ang mga atleta ay karapat-dapat sa higit pa — higit na respeto, mas maayos na organisasyon, at mas mataas na antas ng pananagutan mula sa mga humahawak ng pangalan ng sport.

Ang bodybuilding ay hindi lang tungkol sa itsura. Ito ay disiplina, sakripisyo, at dangal. Ang gawing parang raket o “money grab” ang isang prestihiyosong event ay isang insulto sa lahat ng naglaan ng oras at dugo para makasali.

Nais din naming ipabatid sa mga banyagang atleta at manonood: hindi ito ang tunay na mukha ng Philippine bodybuilding.Ang mga Pilipinong organizer at atleta ay may mataas na pamantayan. Patunay rito ang mga event gaya ng KG Classic at AGP Pro Qualifier, na kamakailan ay nagbigay ng inspirasyon at respeto sa mga manonood dahil sa galing at propesyonalismo ng kanilang mga organizer.

Ang Musclecontest Philippines 2025 ay hindi representasyon ng bansa — ito ay kapalpakan ng organizer.

Hangga’t walang pananagutan at hangga’t hindi naibabalik ang tamang pamantayan, mananatiling babala ang Musclecontest Philippines 2025 — patunay na kapag mas pinili ang kita kaysa sa passion, kahit ang pinakamagandang pangalan ay maaaring bumagsak sa kaguluhan.

Tala ng Editor:

Sinubukan ng PrepLife na makuha ang pahayag ng Musclecontest Philippines ngunit wala pang tugon sa oras ng paglalathala.