Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan is Miss Universe Philippines 2024
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Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo with predecessor Michelle Marquez Dee. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Empire PH
Filipinos have a new Miss Universe Philippines queen, on whom they will pin their hopes for another Miss Universe crown for the country, and she is Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan.
The 25-year-old beauty queen was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2024 by last year’s winner Michelle Marquez Dee at the culmination of a glittering show held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on May 22, before thousands of cheering spectators that filled the venue.
Manalo bested 52 other aspirants to earn her ticket to the 73rd Miss Universe pageant, where she will attempt to become the fifth Filipino woman to bring home the crown. The global competition will be held in Mexico later this year.
The Bulakeña queen is not new to national pageants as she competed at the 2017 Miss World Philippines pageant, where she finished in the Top 15.
Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan
Joining Manalo in the final round of competition were Stacey Gabriel of Cainta (1st runner-up), Ma. Ahtisa Manalo of Quezon Province (2nd runner-up), Tarah Valencia of Baguio (3rd runner-up), and Christi Lynn McGarry of Taguig (4th runner-up). All four will receive national titles in a separate ceremony.
Manalo will aspire to bring home the country’s fifth Miss Universe crown following the successful campaign of Dee, who finished in the Top 10 of the 72nd Miss Universe pageant held in El Salvador last year.
Aside from her Top 10 finish, Dee also topped the online popularity poll, garnered the most votes for national costume, received the “Spirit of Carnival” award from Carnival Cruises, and was one of the three “gold finalists” for the “Voice for Change” initiative by crown provider Mouawad with CI Talks.
The 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant is the fifth edition of the standalone national pageant to choose the country’s representative in the Miss Universe pageant. It was first staged in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the crown going to national pageant rookie Rabiya Mateo, who eventually finished in the Top 21 of the international competition.
Emmy award-winning host Jeannie Mai hosted the 2024 ceremonies with 2022 Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel, together with Kapuso actors Alden Richards and Gabbi Garcia, and Tim Yap.
Thai superstar Win Metawin, “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World” season 2 finalist Marina Summers, and Filipino pop band Lola Amour performed during the program, streamed real-time on the Empire Philippines YouTube channel. It will have a delayed telecast on GMA on May 26.
The Philippines is the fourth most successful country in the Miss Universe pageant with four winners—Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018).
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