Ahtisa Manalo on being touted as ‘one to beat’ in Miss Universe PH 2024

Ahtisa Manalo will represent Quezon Province at the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant. Image: Armin P. Adina/INQUIRER.net

Ahtisa Manalo’s name has been cropping up year after year since the first Miss Universe Philippines pageant was staged in 2020.

And now that she has quelled her supporter’s anticipation by finally joining the pageant, she said she has prepared herself for anything that her participation will bring her.

“I really believe that pressure is a privilege, and not everyone gets to be pressured by fans. Because I believe that the fans think that I can do better than I did before in Binibining Pilipinas,” she told INQUIRER.NET at the sidelines of the recent signing of Miss Universe Philippines’ partnership launch held at the ballroom of Hilton Manila in Pasay City.

Manalo, who was crowned Bb. Pilipinas International in 2018 and finished second in the Miss International pageant, admitted that she is aware that many pageant followers have proclaimed her as “the one to beat” in the national search this year.

“I try not to get that in my head. I still do my job, I still do my preparation, and I will still do my best to make sure that I win the crown,” she said.

“There is definitely plenty of pressure because I know that people are expecting a certain standard from me because I have joined pageants before. But I try, like everything else that is outside of my control, I try not to let that get into me,” the candidate from Quezon Province added.

In such a competitive field of aspirants where many followers expect a “bloodbath” for the crown, Manalo has been consistently getting the approval of a lot of avid observers.

She is not the only one with international experience under her belt, a couple of other aspirants have already brought home global titles. And yet, she continues to mesmerize onlookers with every appearance.

But with this year’s competition also seeing competitive newbies who many believe can possibly give the seasoned bets a run for their money, there have been several calls made for veterans to make way, and let the “fresh” faces have their time.

“I do think that the Miss Universe Philippines is an equal opportunity platform. So I do think that anyone gets an equal chance to fight for what they believe in and to fight for the crown. So I don’t think that any one person is advantaged because they did pageants already before, and not any one person has a disadvantage because they haven’t done pageants before,” she stressed.

The two recent Miss Universe Philippines titleholders already had international experience prior to winning the crown.

Celeste Cortesi, 2022 winner, was Top 8 in the 2018 Miss Earth pageant while reigning queen Michelle Marquez Dee was in the Top 12 of the 2019 Miss World contest.

For Manalo, her Miss International experience definitely taught her a lot.

“The biggest thing that I always tried to do whenever I joined pageants, and up until now I bring, is just to enjoy the show. Because I have been preparing for this for a very long time. So for me, preparations are done. It’s now time to enjoy and show everyone what I worked hard for,” she said.

Manalo is competing against 54 other delegates to become Dee’s successor, and to earn the right to represent the Philippines in the 73rd Miss Universe pageant that will be held in Mexico later this year.