MANILA, Philippines – Model and Philippine Volcanoes member Andrew Wolff was named first runner-up at the Mister World 2012 pageant on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) in Kent, England.

Mr. World winner Francisco Escobar of Colombia and first runner up Andrew Wolff of the Philippines. (Photo from the Facebook page of Mr. World)

Wolff, who is of Filipino and British descent, lost to Francisco Escobar of Colombia, who was hailed Mister World 2012. Second-runner up was Leo Delaney of Ireland.

Mister World is the official male counterpart of the more popular Miss World beauty pageant. Since it first held its maiden competition in 1996, it has had six pageants, including the 2012 edition, held every two to three years.

Although no public competition was held to determine the Philippines' representative to this year's Mister World, Cory Quirino, owner of the pageant's local franchise, said a "private judging" was done to narrow down to Wolff's participation from over 25 candidates.

According to Quirino, the hasty selection process was due to the pageant license being granted to the Philippines only three weeks ago.

Quirino congratulated Wolff, 27, during her radio show on DZMM on Sunday morning.

Netizens also cheered on Wolff at the Facebook page of the pageant.

"Well done Andrew!" wrote Geoffrey Campaner Hutchinson, a Filipino residing in London.

"Congrats Andrew Wolff from Birmingham, England!" wrote Romulo Tan Palma.

"And I wish in case the winner cant do his duties the runner up will take over...... Philippines," wrote Avon consultant Kristine Ann Marhie Perez.

"Congrats Andrew for making us proud. Congrats also to the winner. Title is not meant for you 'coz your mission might be in other way. Your team Volcanoes need you to be with them. Thanks Andrew Wolff for a job well-done. You won the heart and respect of your kababayans back in our homeland and even here abroad," wrote Lee Scott-James from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.