Joining pageants today has become more demanding than ever, especially for those who truly aspire to win the crown. While natural beauty remains an essential factor, it's no longer enough to rely on looks alone. Candidates must be able to refine and showcase their qualities such as intelligence, confidence, charisma, and advocacy to fully unlock their potential and emerge as the best version of theirselves.
We've all heard of the country’s premier pageant camps like Aces & Queens and Kagandahang Flores, which have played a significant role in shaping many of our most successful beauty queens. As someone who has been covering pageants since 2014, I’ve witnessed firsthand how these camps have become instrumental in producing international titleholders such as Pia Wurtzbach, Megan Young, and Bea Rose Santiago.
Over time, the industry has continuously evolved and from the foundations laid by these established camps, a new generation of pageant coaches has emerged. These independent mentors and specialists who bring fresh approaches and personalized strategies to training has helped aspiring queens and kings not just with stage performance or Q&A, but with building their personal brand, strengthening their mental resilience, and preparing for life beyond the crown.
In today’s competitive pageant landscape, professional coaching has become more of a necessity than a luxury. Whether you're eyeing a local crown or dreaming of an international title, the right guidance can make all the difference.
One of the emerging names in the world of pageant coaching is Krees de Guia of Krees Talks. Krees began his pageant journey in 2023 as the social media manager for then-Miss Philippines Earth candidate Cea De Jesus. That same year, he claimed his first crown as a Q&A coach when Emerson Gomez won the Mister Cosmopolitan Philippines title at the 2nd Mister Pilipinas Worldwide competition.
Currently, Krees is focused on coaching male candidates, recognizing the growing demand and importance of pageant coaching in the male pageantry scene. “Many coontestants join pageants, but they don't know their purpose in joining. Coaches help them realize that and then create a game plan to reach that goal, from mindset management to skills development and more,” he shared.
His expertise is not limited to local candidates. Krees has also been tapped by several international contestants for online personality development training, something he considers as a milestone in his coaching career, as it extends his influence beyond national borders. One of his proudest moments came when Mister Netherlands, Casey De Vries, placed as 1st Runner-Up at Mister Supranational 2024. Currently Krees is currently coaching candidates from Paraguay and Panama.
Recently, Krees further solidified his reputation in male pageantry by producing six major titleholders in 2025 alone. Leading the roster is Lloyd Garcia, crowned Mister International Philippines 2025, followed by Simon Joseph Javier (Mister National Universe Philippines), Larz Kent Dawson (Mister Earth International), Marlo Martin (Man Hot Star Philippines), Rash Morales (Mister Charm Philippines), and Kenneth Marcelino (Mister Cosmopolitan Philippines 2025).
Ultimately although this might sound cliche, but joining pageants these days is not anymore just about winning the crown it’s now about discovering who you are, embracing your story, and unlocking the best version of yourself. Pageant coaching is personal growth in action, with transformation that should extend far beyond the pageant stage.