Chelsea Manalo’s reign as Miss Universe Philippines 2024 has come to a close. For her final walk, she wore a lilac gown by longtime collaborator Manny Halasan. The gown featured exaggerated flared sleeves, attached at the hem and echoed by fringed detailing that traced the edges of the bodice—a look that felt like a soft exhale: regal but unshowy, much like her reign. Softly hugging her frame without veering into excess, the gown mirrored her quiet strength and humility.
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In a lineup stacked with frontrunners, from Stacey Gabriel to Christi McGarry and the eventual 2025 titleholder Ahtisa Manalo, Manalo was the so-called “dark horse”—a phrase often reserved for the underestimated. But the beauty queen’s rise wasn’t fueled by surprise; it was sustained by resolve and a sense of who she is.
Manalo’s win marked a historical first: she is the first Black Filipina to represent the country at Miss Universe, her heritage traced to her African-American father and Filipino mother. But while the pageant world praised its supposed strides in diversity, the journey wasn’t without backlash. Conversations around her skin color often veered into coded language and veiled biases, as if identity could be boxed into a single image.
Yet, she didn’t buckle. She didn’t try to “correct” perceptions. Instead, she walked—forward, proud, with a clarity that made her detractors irrelevant. After all, the backlash said more about the audience than the queen they were watching.
Throughout her reign, she wore many crowns; some literal, others symbolic. A proud advocate for the Dumagat people, she championed indigenous youth and educational access through her work with Kids for Kids. Her platform wasn’t lip service, but a lived experience, delivered with consistency and heart.
That heart showed in moments like her National Costume win, where she paid tribute to Our Lady of Antipolo, the Black Madonna, in a Manny Halasan ensemble that became a fan favorite and won Best National Costume at the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 competition. She showcased a personal proclamation of faith and cultural pride—one of many moments where she stood tall not in spite of her identity, but because of it.
Manalo passed not only the crown but the weight of a new title: Miss Universe Asia, bestowed upon her as part of a new program to recognize continental queens.
In her final speech, she stood poised and grateful. With a voice steady and full of grace, she thanked her parents, photographer Seven Barretto, Q&A coach Atty. Ron Gamboa, designer Manny Halasan, and Miss Universe Philippines executives Voltaire Tayag and Jonas Gaffud.
Her parting words to the next Miss Universe Philippines were not rehearsed lines, but earned wisdom: “Cherish every moment… it will shape you in ways you never imagined. Wear the crown with pride, and a heart full of purpose.”
Photographed by GRANT BABIA
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