University of Santo Tomas heartthrob Ahmad “Mad” Hussein Ramos was crowned as first-ever Ultimate Campus Cutie at the grand finale held last June 21 at GMA Annex.
Pitted against 19 other finalists aged 16–22, the 19-year-old volleyball star was a standout With his confidence, charisma and good looks.
The Campus Cutie search set out to find the most handsome and charming male student from schools across the Philippines to claim the title of Ultimate Campus Cutie. Over the course of a month, the finalists underwent intensive training and mentorship in acting, singing, dancing, and communication to prepare them for the spotlight. Mentors like Boy Abunda, Paolo Contis, and Barbie Forteza guided the group, leading nerve-wracking yet fun and inspiring sessions that helped bring out each boy’s best.
For the finale, the Top 20 contenders took the stage to show off their talents, delivering song and dance performances that flaunted their diverse, camera-ready looks and charms. Once the group was narrowed down to the Top 10 — Andrei Fajardo, Kady Costales, Ralph Miaco, Kiko Antonio, Neathan Tan, David Bunagan, Mateo Monzones, Winston Stolk and Zed Malicsi — each finalist faced a live Q&A round, sharing why they deserved to win.
Mad stood out in this portion with his moving message about his identity and dreams: “Gusto kong i-represent ang Muslim community. Kayang-kaya nating makipagsabayan sa ganitong industry. Kasi, konti lang naman ang sumusubok sa ganito. So ako na, ako na ang nag-step-up to represent the Muslim community. And sana, maging proud kayo sa akin. Ipagpapatuloy ko ‘to para sa inyong lahat.”
During the month-long training period, Mad quickly emerged as a frontrunner for the Ultimate Campus Cutie title. He was assessed as a “triple threat” – height, striking looks and excellent skills in singing, acting dancing, and communication. He also boasts a strong social media following and earned praise from mentors for his humble nature and good attitude throughout the workshops.
The teen idol will receive an exclusive management contract with Sparkle and be developed to become the next Kapuso leading man.
The Campus Cutie judges included Atty. Annette Gozon‑Valdes (GMA Senior Vice President), Joy Marcelo (First Vice President, Sparkle GMA Artist Center and Talent Development and Management Department), and Aloy Adlawan (Creative Director of GMA Entertainment Group). They were joined by Ryuji Shiomitsu (Bench’s Partner Fashion Stylist), Japs Jaring (Production Manager, MAKA) and Eason de Guzman (Digital Marketing Manager and Content Lead at Honor Philippines).
The finals was hosted by Status by Sparkle talent Rain Matienzo. For the opening number, the 20 finalists performed a live sing-and-dance production of “Dilaw x We Will Rock You.” The show featured special performances from P-Pop group Cloud 7, Josh Ford, Ruru Madrid and Jeniffer Maravilla.
Special awards were handed out by HONOR, Bench and Shopee, while special titles were given by GMA Playlist, Benchsetter, Beauty Vault Cutie and HONOR AI Master.
