Ahtisa Manalo Is Miss Universe 2025 Third Runner-Up—Here's How She Did It

Ahtisa Manalo is Miss Universe 2025 Third Runner Up, and she earned the place despite every setback along the way. This was her second attempt at joining Miss Universe, and she pushed through pressures and controversies surrounding the competition, proving that the real power of a woman isn't just confined to titles—it's in her character and in what she sets her mind to.

During the question-and-answer portion of the competition, it became clear that Ahtisa came with a mission to uplift the lives of Filipinos, especially those from marginalized communities.

She was asked: As a global ambassador or citizen, what will be your contribution to humanity?

"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," Ahtisa emphasized.

"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," she added.

Ahtisa continued to highlight her advocacy in the final Q&A, laying out her plans if she were to win Miss Universe.

"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," Ahtisa said.

"And I want to continue working with Alon Akademie on a bigger platform like Miss Universe, to pursue making sure that people who come from low-income backgrounds are given the same opportunities as everyone else," she added.

Her journey to this year's pageant was far from easy. Ahtisa competed for Miss Universe Philippines last year, where she finished second. This year's comeback was deeply personal—not only for her, but also for her grandmother who recently passed away.

Ahtisa has been joining competitions since fourth grade. In 2018, she won Binibining Pilipinas International and went on to place 1st Runner-Up at Miss International that same year.

"From a young age of 10, I started doing pageants to provide education for myself, for my brother and for my sister and help provide for my family," Ahtisa shared during the Top 12 competition announcement showcase video.

"So, I really hope that my story is a symbol of hope for everyone to hear that it doesn't matter your life circumstances, you can achieve anything as long as you put your mind, your heart and your soul in it," she added.

In the days leading up to coronation night, Ahtisa remained one of the competition's strongest front-runners, securing top spots in categories such as Most Beautiful People and People's Choice as of November 19.