Comedian John Lapus revisits UST pageant roots as deputy judge

From student director to judge: John Lapus comes full circle at UST pageant.

From directing the show as a student to judging it years later, John Lapus just proved that the “Thomasian Youth Ambassador and Ambassadress” stage will always be part of his story.

The actor-comedian-director returned to the TYAA 2026 coronation night as deputy judge, instantly becoming one of the event’s most talked-about personalities among Thomasians online. But for Lapus, the moment felt more personal than glamorous.

“This is a 360 degrees turn for me,” he shared, recalling how he once directed the pageant back when it was still called “Mr. & Ms. UST” as a student member of Teatro Tomasino.

Lapus also remembered judging the competition years later during its “Mr. & Ms. Thomasian Personality” era, where eventual winner David Chua would later enter showbiz as an actor and director.

Now back on the TYAA stage once more, Direk Sweet said he was amazed not just by the candidates’ beauty and composure, but also by their intelligence and advocacies.

“Hindi lang talino ang labanan ng mga Thomasian Ambassadors, community service na din!”

John Lapus is currently part of the one-act play “Taksyapo!,” which was officially selected for the annual Virgin Labfest of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The play stars Christian Bables and Mosang, directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio, and is set to run this June at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.

 

 

‘This is a 360 degrees turn for me,’ John Lapus shared, recalling how he once directed the pageant back when it was still called ‘Mr. & Ms. UST’ as a student member of Teatro Tomasino.

 

 

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