Miss Universe 2025 third runner-up Ahtisa Manalo waxed sentimental as she capped her long and colorful pageant journey as the Philippines’ ‘pambansang manika’ (nation’s doll).
Manalo is set to fly back home on Monday evening, Nov. 24, from Thailand after almost a month-long preparation for the pageant, and is expected to be welcomed by the Filipino people following her spectacular performance.
The 28-year-old entrepreneur from Quezon Province has become one of the most well-loved and extremely popular beauty queens that the country has ever produced.
And with her extensive pageant resumé that lists three international competitions, Manalo’s fan base expanded beyond the Philippines.
‘Capping off my pageant journey with a quick look-back from where it all began. It was an honor representing you, PHILIPPINES! [Philippine flag emoji],’ Manalo wrote when she shared a video on social media on Sunday evening, Nov. 23.
The video captured her growth in pageantry, first as a 20-year-old college graduate from Quezon Province, to an accomplished businesswoman with footprints across the country.
Although Manalo’s break on the national stage was at the 2017 Reyna ng Aliwan contest, a competition of different festivals, her first big pageant was Binibining Pilipinas.
She joined the national pageant in 2018, the same edition as Catriona Gray who eventually became Miss Universe. Manalo was sent to the Miss International pageant where she finished as first runner-up.
So young and with full of promise, Manalo’s return to the national stage was eagerly awaited by many pageant fans, some of whom pitched the Miss World Philippines to be her next stop.
But she took her sweet time before throwing her hat again in pageantry. She attempted to enlist for the inaugural Miss Universe Philippines pageant in 2020 but did not pursue it. In 2024, she finally gave in to the lure of pageantry and finally staged a comeback via the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. But she only finished third overall.
Presented with the opportunity to compete in another international pageant, Manalo agreed to represent the country in the inaugural staging of Miss Cosmo. She landed a Top 10 spot.
She surprised the pageant world when she returned to the Miss Universe Philippines pageant the next year, in a field that already had a slew of seasoned aspirants with international experience.
And finally, after three attempts, Manalo found herself carrying the Philippines at Miss Universe, for the pageant’s 74th edition in Thailand. She delivered strong performances during the national costume presentation and preliminary competition, and even amped up her game at the finals.
Her hard work was rewarded with a third runner-up finish, though the crown eventually landed on Mexican bet Fatima Bosch’s head.