Sparkle GMA Artist Center proudly welcomes a woman of grace, substance and empowerment, Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Ahtisa Manalo, to its roster of stars. Her contract signing took place today, March 10, 2026, at GMA Network.
Present during the ceremony were GMA Network Senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group and President and CEO of GMA Pictures Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, First Vice President of Sparkle GMA Artist Center Joy Marcelo, and Empire Artist Management Vice President Mau De Leon.
Also in attendance were Sparkle GMA Artist Center’s Senior Assistant Vice President For Talent Sales, Branding, and Marketing Anne Puno-Ignacio, Assistant Vice President for Talent Management Vic Del Rosario, Assistant Vice President for Talent Development and Recruitment Jenny Donato, Assistant Vice President for Sales and Marketing Renze Banawa, Consulting Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Lawrence Tan, Senior Talent Manager Tracy Garcia, and Assistant Vice President for Corporate Communications Jojo Aquio.
Ahtisa expressed her deep gratitude to the Network, saying, “I am very thankful for the warm welcome from GMA, Ms. Annette, Ms. Joy, and everyone else. Even before I signed, I already felt the love and care from the team.”
Meanwhile, Gozon-Valdes shared her admiration for the beauty queen. “First time ko nanood ng Miss Universe dahil nandoon ka. I saw how beautiful you are, not just physically—you have such a beautiful personality and a beautiful heart na bagay na bagay talaga sa Sparkle.” She also said that she is incredibly excited about the projects already lined up for Ahtisa.
Marcelo added, “This moment feels so right; we’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
From her humble beginnings in Candelaria, Quezon, Ahtisa now embarks on a new path with her quiet strength and unwavering grace. She is ready to conquer a bigger stage—fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming an actress while continuing her advocacy for education and youth leadership. This new platform serves as a testament to her journey of turning dreams into reality and creating a voice for a brighter future.
Viewers can look forward to Ahtisa’s versatility, with projects spanning acting, hosting, and high-fashion collaborations already in the works. One of these is her joining GMA Prime’s high-rating fantasy series Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre—a dream turned reality upon joining Sparkle. Moving forward, she will also be expanding her horizons through hosting and various brand partnerships.
For more exclusive updates about your favorite Sparkle artists, follow @sparklegmaartistcenter on Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.
