Ahtisa Manalo ready for the Miss Universe stage

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Ahtisa Manalo is thrilled to have been appointed as Miss Universe Philippines Quezon Province and will be a candidate for the upcoming Miss Universe Philippines national pageant.

“I feel like I’m a lot stronger now, I can handle a lot more things in a better way. I also feel like being an entrepreneur has helped me in being able to utilize my skills, and moreover, being able to see the potential that the Miss Universe Philippines platform has," Manalo said.

"During Binibining Pilipinas, I really wanted the Miss Universe crown, but then it wasn’t given to me. But I was very happy with what I got. And I thought then I wouldn’t have the chance to do it na. But now, given that chance again to pursue that dream, so now, I am doing it,” she said.

Now at 26 years old, the beauty queen-entrepreneur feels like she is more prepared to give the Miss Universe crown a second try.

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At 20 years old, she was the youngest contestant at the 2018 edition of Binibining Pilipinas where she exceeded expectations and won the Miss International Philippines title.

It was this same year that her batchmate Catriona Gray won Miss Universe Philippines, and eventually, Miss Universe 2018. Meanwhile, Ahtisa went on to win 1st runner-up at Miss International 2018 in Tokyo, Japan.

“I really love Catriona, she was my batchmate in Bb. Pilipinas and I really think she set such a high standard for all beauty queens to follow, and I think it is a much-needed change in the pageant scene.”

She applied for the 2020 edition of the same national pageant, only to withdraw her application due to personal reasons.

“I don’t think I was ready then. I think I had a lot of growing to do. It felt like it was only 2 years after Binibining Pilipinas and I didn’t think I had anything new to offer to the pageant scene.”

This 2024, she now feels that she has gained more life experiences outside of pageantry that have made her more experienced and prepared as a candidate.

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“The last 6 years, I’ve just been working on my startup, it’s a food and beverage company, and we employ about a thousand people now. I started it with 2 other partners, there was nothing, and now we have almost a thousand employees… I have Koomi, Oh My Greek, ZIG, Salt and Ice, which my event will be held. For five years I was handling the finance of the company, and I was also a big part of R&D because I love food."

"I think the biggest thing that I can apply to pageants are really people skills. I’ve had to work with a lot of different kinds of people when I was still doing business and I think that’s a very big factor in doing pageants as well,” she said.

Proving her tenacity and determination, Ahtisa’s success now is a long way from the simple life she led before as she was growing up.

“My mom was a housewife, and my stepdad was a tricycle driver. I was able to tao sa sari-sari store, magtinda ng kandila sa sementeryo kapag November 1. It was fun naman, but it was hard.”

Coming from a small town and humble beginnings, the Finnish-Filipina beauty originally saw pageantry as a way to both help and bring her family together.

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“I’m born in Candelaria, Quezon. I grew up there most of my life. I spent 20 years of my life in Quezon province, I only left for Binibining Pilipinas. I started joining pageants in 4th grade, kasi I wanted to help my ninong and my lola who put me through school. They were the ones who put me through school ever since kindergarten and I felt like I needed to help. My pageant then, they had libreng 1 year tuition fee if you win, so dun ako nagsimulang mag-pageant, ‘cause I saw the potential of how to help my family and myself through pageantry," she said.

"Whenever I join pageants it’s what brings our family together, even my uncles and aunts na sa malayo nakatira, they come to watch.”

It was these life experiences of hers growing up and as of that have led her to the advocacy that she wishes to pursue during her Miss Universe Philippines journey.

“I’m working with Alon Akademie and it is an organization where we believe that the best way to empower children is through education—a holistic form of education that starts at a very young age which teaches global citizenship, social skills, and entrepreneurial mindset. “

Now, the appointee candidate of Quezon province is ready to present the new version of Ahtisa Manalo who has had her fair share of lessons learned, as well as a clearer vision in life.

“I think it’s really just showing up. I used to be a perfectionist, and that I can only show up when I’m perfect, and that’s the only time it would matter, but I realized throughout the years that I should just show up, even if I’m not at my 100%, and if I just show up, there is progress, and progress is such a big thing."

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"I think I really just want to be the perfect example of what a Filipina is, and what I mean with that is that you can come from any life circumstances, and you’d be able to create a version of yourself that you want to be, a life that you want for yourself,” she said.

This early, Ahtisa and her team have been deep in preparations.

The Miss Universe Philippines Organization has yet to announce the date for the finals night of the pageant, where they will crown the successor of Michelle Dee.

This will also be the first edition where the new age limit rule applies.