Miss Universe 2023, 72nd edition of Miss Universe, will be held later this year in El Salvador where stunning delegates from all over the world will compete for the international crown. Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel will crown her successor at the end of the event finale.
As the pageant fanatics are preparing their wishlists for the same, Maria Ahtisa Manalo has surpassed almost all of them as a fan-favourite for Miss Universe Philippines 2023. She rose to fame when she won the chance to represent Philippines at Miss International 2018 and was adjudged as the first runner-up. The stunner was the youngest contestant participating in the pageant at just 20 years old.
Ahtisa was supposed to compete at Miss Universe Philippines 2020 but had to back down because of health reasons. She was ready then, trying to give it all to compete at the debut edition of the national pageant but ofcourse, health always comes first. Maybe, now she is in a better state of mind physically and mentally to give it a try this year.
From Candelaria, Quezon, Ahtisa graduated with a degree in Accountancy from the Manuel S Enverga University Foundation. Being an only sister to her cousins had a grave impact on Ahtisa’s interests, and she wanted to be more like her uncles and grandfather than like any of the women in the family. She once dreamed of pursuing a career in public safety like her policemen uncles and soldier grandfather. She either wanted to pursue criminology or join the police force.
According to Ahtisa, winning isn’t about hard work and good looks alone. She believes that every contestant has these qualities in some or the other ratio. However, she believes it does come to destiny when the question of the big win comes. She is a strong orator who gives her opinions strongly. At 25 years of age, this is the ideal time for Ahtisa to try her luck at the national pageant and win the Miss Universe crown for her country.
Philippines holds 4 Miss Universe crowns. The country had a long streak of placing in the semi-finals since 2010 which broke at the 2022 edition where Celeste Cortesi could not make it to the Top 16 at the finale of Miss Universe 2022 held in New Orleans, Louisiana.