TF maintains placements at Mister and Miss Cebu Press Freedom 2025

The FREEMAN maintained its placements from last year's Mister and Miss Cebu Press Freedom, with marketing staff Carl John Griño and news reporter Kristin de Dios named first runner-up and second runner-up, respectively, at the 2025 finals held Saturday, September 20, at Bai Hotel Cebu.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

Selected Mister Cebu Press Freedom 2025 was SunStar Cebu's Joshua Solano, while Miss Cebu Press Freedom 2025 was Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP)-Cebu's Arvie Veloso.

Griño's female counterpart for first runner-up was MyTV's Elaiza Peñaranda, while KBP-Cebu's Nathaniel Sandoval shared the second runner-up spot with de Dios. MyTV's Karl Adriane Donal and SunStar Cebu's Harmony Dela Cruz placed third runners-up.

Griño and de Dios were primed to represent The FREEMAN since they started working with the company shortly after graduating in June 2024 from Cebu Normal University (CNU), where they both earned summa cum laude honors.

Although they had no prior pageant experience, both said it was an honor to represent the publication where they began as interns before becoming full-time employees.

"I was not really expecting to get the crown, but to represent The FREEMAN," said Griño, 24, who hails from Cordova, Mactan Island. "I am happy that I am the first runner-up because it's an honor to represent our paper."

Added de Dios, also 24 years old and a native of Carmen, a northern Cebu municipality: "I am fine with whatever results came out because I am happy to represent our paper. We are so blessed to have our colleagues behind us, cheering us on with their loudest support."