Two decades in, the country’s biggest fitness competition has stopped looking like itself. And that appears to be entirely the point.
Century Tuna Superbods returns for its 20th year with a Final Callback that felt less like a physique contest and more like a referendum on what fitness in the Philippines actually means now. Whatever expectations the pageant built over twenty years, this year’s stage quietly dismantled them. The Superbod Era, as the brand is calling it, has begun.
From hundreds of applicants nationwide, the semi-finalists who made it to the Callback arrived with a different assignment: to prove that a body on stage is only ever the visible part of the story.
The event unfolded as a study in what sits underneath — personal transformations told without polish, resilience that had clearly been tested, and a spread of life experience wide enough to catch the room off guard. Hosts Maureen Montagne, the 2018 Century Tuna Superbod Grand Winner, and radio DJ KC Montero drew out those distinctions, giving each candidate room to register both under the lights and away from them.
The premise of this new era is straightforward enough. A healthy body isn’t the finish line — it’s evidence. Evidence of mental strength, of discipline sustained over years rather than weeks, and of a life organized around wellness and a clear sense of self.
Driving the shift is Century Tuna’s long-running argument that Filipinos are capable of becoming their best selves, whatever shape that takes. The competition has widened its criteria accordingly, opening the field to all body types and backgrounds.
The Callback made that abstraction concrete: the people who walked the stage looked like a cross-section of how fitness is actually practiced in the country today.
Several were back for a second, third, or fourth run at the title — persistence that reads as its own qualification. Supermoms came from every direction: corporate professionals, former models rebuilding careers, mothers who found their way back to themselves through training. Hands-on Superdads walked alongside them, quietly rewriting the job description of modern fatherhood.
Some families competed as units. A father-daughter pair took the stage, as did a mother alongside her two sons, illustrating how health habits move in both directions between generations. They shared the runway with established celebrities and models still chasing a Superbod title, and with working fitness coaches who traded the gym floor for a national audience.
Add the contenders breaking new ground — transgender men entering the competition for the first time, and a strong showing of “ageless” candidates making the case that vitality doesn’t expire — and this batch makes its argument plainly: the Superbod life is not a narrow category.
“Every edition, the Superbods competition evolves, but our core mission remains unchanged—to inspire Filipinos to unlock the healthiest, most vibrant versions of themselves,” said Mr. Carlo Endaya, Vice President, General Manager, and Group Business Head of Century Pacific Food Inc.
“As we stepped into the ‘Superbod Era,’ we celebrate health as a powerful life stage where passion, dedication, and holistic wellness came together. The incredible energy and stories we witnessed at the Callback prove that the modern Filipino is ready to claim their own healthy era, and we are excited to see our new finalists inspire the nation.”
Judging the field was a panel that paired Century Pacific Food Inc. executives with actress and fitness advocate Jasmine Curtis-Smith and past Grand Winners Jules Aquino (2018) and Christelle Abello (2022). Contenders were assessed through a high-energy walk-off and a question-and-answer round designed to test more than conditioning — charisma, command of the stage, and how seriously they had thought about wellness as an advocacy.
By the end of the night, the finalists heading to the grand finale were confirmed.
Top 20 Male Finalists: Aaron Maniego, Ameer Ahid, Herschel Verne Sanchez, MJ Ordillano, Arvin Corpuz, Jay Gonzaga, Austin Dizon Cabatana, Nunoy van den Burgh, Jaco Benin, Paul John Galang, Christopher Ian El Jouni, Joselito Florendo, Prince De Guzman, Rafael Cruz Tan, Ken Batino, Dominic Camozzi, Kim Panique, RC Kashyap, Ricardo De Jesus, and Lorenzo Isip.
Top 20 Female Finalists: Alana Maris Montemayor, Janica Reloxe, Maan Marquez, Aleiah Torres, Jarly Verceles, Jasmine Rovelle Paguio, Anna Valencia Lakrini, Ashley Cayuca, Chucel Njigha, Ronalyn Lalimo, Jilliane Robillos, Rovin Mizuse, Diane Querrer, Donnabelle Erno, Kristen Bea H. Chua, Thalia Joaquin, Vienne Luna, Gee Canlas, Lou Yanong, and Gia Gonzales.
UPDATE:
The roster has since shifted.
In late July, Lou Yanong announced she was stepping away from the competition, citing personal and unavoidable reasons and thanking the organizers for understanding her decision. Century Tuna Superbods acknowledged the withdrawal in a statement respecting her choice, and days later confirmed a new name in the Top 40: Cianne Dominguez, the “It’s Showtime” host whose Superbods run appeared to have ended at the July 11 callbacks. Her late inclusion returns her to a competition she had earlier described as a personal challenge rather than a title bid.
What started as a fitness challenge has become something closer to a cultural fixture — one that keeps expanding its definition of who gets to be celebrated for taking care of themselves.
Twenty years on, Century Tuna Superbods is still moving the boundary, and still pointing the country toward wellness, self-love, and a more active life. The finals are next.
For more on the competition, visit https://centurytuna.ph/ or follow Century Tuna on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/centurytuna.
