Despite falling short of the Miss Universe crown, Ahtisa Manalo delivered a strong finish for the Philippines after placing 3rd runner-up at the 74th Miss Universe pageant held at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Mexico’s Fatima Bosch was crowned Miss Universe 2025, followed by Praveenar Singh of Thailand (first runner-up), Stephany Abasali of Venezuela (second runner-up), and Olivia Yacé of Côte d’Ivoire (fourth runner-up).
Manalo emerged from a field of 120 candidates, advancing from the Top 30 to the Top 12, and ultimately securing a spot in the Top 5. Her placement marks the Philippines’ return to the Miss Universe Top 5 since Beatrice Luigi Gomez’s finish in 2021.
During the first question-and-answer round, Manalo was asked: “As a global ambassador or citizen, what will be your contribution to humanity?”
She answered: “I want to be the hope of people. I come from a very poor background. I started pageants at 10 years old to put myself through school and to lift my family out of poverty. And if there’s anything that I want to show the universe, I’m here right now. I’m standing as Miss Universe because I was able to get myself out of any situation because I was hardworking, I was persistent, and I fight for what I want.”
For the final question, the Top 5 were asked: “How would you use this platform to empower young girls?”
Ahtisa responded: “I work with an organization called Alon Akademie where we work with young people to provide them opportunities to make them realize that it doesn’t matter what your life circumstances is, it doesn’t define where you will go. And I want to continue working with Alon Academy in a platform like Miss Universe to pursue making sure that people from low-income backgrounds are given the same opportunities like everyone else.”
In a post-pageant interview with CNN, Manalo revealed that Miss Universe marks the end of her years-long pageant journey.
“This is my last pageant, so I’m seeing it as an opportunity to close that chapter of my life. There’s always a pressure of carrying the Philippine sash with you because of the women who came before you,” she said.
She also shared that honoring the memory of her late grandmother played a significant role in her decision to compete.
“After losing my grandmother, it put into perspective what things are important in life. I realized that with how my grandmother worked, if I don’t push for that dream of being Miss Universe, I would be doing her a disservice. My theory is that beauty queens are usually stories of inspiration, stories that inspire us to do better and work hard.”
Manalo’s Miss Universe placement adds another milestone to her extensive pageant career:
- 2018: Joined Binibining Pilipinas; crowned 1st runner-up at Miss International in Japan
- 2024: Returned to pageantry at Miss Universe Philippines; placed second runner-up
- Competed at Miss Cosmo 2024 in Vietnam; finished in the Top 10
- 2025: Returned to Miss Universe Philippines and finally won the national crown
Throughout the Miss Universe season, Ahtisa earned praise for her confidence, strong stage presence, and sharp Q&A performance, with Filipino fans hoping she would secure the country’s fifth Miss Universe title.
Despite not clinching the crown, Ahtisa’s Top 5 finish and heartfelt advocacy resonated with audiences worldwide — a powerful ending to her pageant career.
