MANILA, Philippines – Ahtisa Manalo has been hailed as the fairest maiden in the land, but the new queen fondly called “Pambansang Manika” (National Doll) revealed she was not even supposed to stage a comeback in the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 pageant.
The stunner from Quezon Province admitted her plan to return to the national pageant was a last-minute decision. And if it were not for a fateful turn of events, people would not have seen her win the crown.
“I had so many signs before I could join Miss Universe Philippines,” Manalo told members of the media after her coronation at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on May 2.
“I wasn’t even supposed to be Miss Universe Philippines Quezon Province, there was someone already. And then she backed out,” the 27-year-old entrepreneur shared.
Manalo said she was in Laoag when she got tapped to once again strap on her heels for her beloved province, and had to immediately book a flight back to Manila to make it to the contract signing for delegates.
“It felt like I was getting led on that way, so I followed it. Because that rarely happens,” she shared.
Manalo’s first attempt at the Miss Universe Philippines crown was in the 2018 Binibining Pilipinas pageant. But she was edged out of the title by Catriona Gray, who eventually won Miss Universe at the contest held in Thailand.
Then a 20-year-old fresh college graduate, Manalo was instead sent to the Miss International pageant in Japan, where she finished first runner-up.
When the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. lost the Miss Universe franchise to a new team in 2020, there came another opportunity for her to earn the chance to compete in the prestigious international pageant.
Many clamored for her to throw her hat in the game once again. She showed up for the enlistment of aspirants, which elicited excitement among pageant fans, but she did not push through with her application.
Every year since 2020, fans eagerly awaited for Manalo to sign up, but she never did. Until 2024 came, and the well-loved pageant queen announced that she was finally joining the Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
She was the overwhelming choice for the crown last year, based on the predictions from different pageant portals. And during the final competition, she drew the loudest cheers from the crowd.
But Manalo fell short, and finished third in the competition, with the Miss Universe Philippines title going to Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan. She later received a national title of her own, The Miss Philippines-Cosmo.
As the Philippines’ entry to the first edition of the Vietnam-based Miss Cosmo pageant, expectations were high for Manalo. She eventually finished in the Top 10.
Fans still wanted her to give the Miss Universe Philippines pageant another shot. She instead filed her intention to seek public office in Quezon, crushing the hearts of her many followers.
But Manalo made a U-turn, withdrew her candidacy as councilor, and gave in to the lure of pageantry once again. She returned to an even more competitive contest with more international beauties like her among the roster of candidates for the 2025 national contest.
“You’ve seen the Top 6. Any of us could be crowned, and will still have a good fight in Thailand. And I’m just very happy that the judges chose me,” she said.
Among those in the final round with Manalo were Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 Teresita Ssen Marquez, Reina Hispanoamericana 2019 runner-up Katrina Llegado, The Miss Globe 2022 semifinalist Chelsea Fernandez, and Miss Earth-Air 2023 Yllana Marie Aduana.
And as destiny dictated, Manalo triumphed over a formidable batch of contenders, and she is now set to compete in the 74th edition of the Miss Universe pageant scheduled to take place in Thailand in November.
There, she will try to become the fifth winner from the Philippines, and hopefully continue the legacy set by Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Gray. – Rappler.com