In a world where public opinion can get really personal and sometimes too much for a person, Ahtisa Manalo is standing tall and making a case of her own.
The newly crowned Miss Universe Philippines has been making noise throughout the Internet, not just because of her visuals but because of her sentiments. Beyond advocating for gender equality, the 27-year-old beauty queen champions the power of embracing one's softness in a world that often demands toughness.
"When you're a public figure, you'll always get unsolicited advice or opinions—and I'm used to it," she began telling journalist MJ Marfori in an interview. Their conversation touched on the topic of getting unwanted remarks from various kinds of people.
Ahtisa notes that throughout her journey, she's been used to a lot of comments about her. It's nothing new, she says. But it's not something that she dismisses from time to time.
With the hope for more kindness and compassion from other people, Ahtisa says, "I just hope that when people give these pieces of advice, they remember to be kind."
She furthered, "At the end of the day, even though we don't read most of it—I don't read it naman eh, kahit anong sabihin niyo—but sometimes when something gets true, let's remember we're still people. We still feel things."
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PHOTO: (Left to right) Instagram/renzpangilinan, Instagram/marrosalesx, Instagram/sevenbarretto
Who Is Ahtisa Manalo?
In case you missed it, Ahtisa went viral for her Miss Universe Philippines fall. Yup, the beauty queen tripped and fell during her evening gown walk. Thankfully, Ahtisa gracefully stood up and made an unforgettable comeback during the competition.
Despite her fall, Ahtisa made it to the Top 6 candidates and used her quick wits during the Q&A round. The universe must've been with her that night. The question given to her was, "They say that a good leader leads by example. Tell us about one event in your life when you lived by example and the impact it made."
Without skipping a beat, Ahtisa responded with her winning answer, "I fell a while ago on stage, and the thing with me is whenever I fall in life, I always make sure I come back stronger."
She continued, "Last year, I was here on this stage, and for the second time this year, I'm here putting everything on this stage to be Miss Universe Philippines, because this is mine and my grandmother's shared dream. And she passed away early this year. And this is my ode to her." Hundreds in the arena applauded for Ahtisa, and the Internet definitely went wild for her!
Ahtisa is now preparing to compete in the global pageant scene as the Miss Universe competition is scheduled on November 21, 2025. Reportedly, the much-awaited pageant will be held at the Impact Challenger Arena in Pak Kret, Thailand.
Kate runs on caffeine and K-drama cliffhangers. She also thrives on plot twists—on screen, on the page, and, of course, in the group chat.