How Ahtisa Manalo, Alexie Brooks got their respective The Miss Philippines titles

Miss Cosmo Philippines Ahtisa Manalo and Miss Eco International Philippines Alexie Brooks. Photos from THE MISS PHILIPPINES / FACEBOOK

Ahtisa Manalo from Quezon Province and Alexie Brooks from Iloilo City were two of the frontrunners in the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant whose exuberant fans ignited their own intense campaigns online. And while they may not have captured the top prize, the ladies ended up having their own national titles eventually.

Manalo was crowned as the first-ever Miss Cosmo Philippines, while Brooks received the Miss Eco International Philippines crown, and both of them will be representing the country in global contests. But how did they end up getting those two titles, both under the Miss Universe Philippines pageant’s sister search The Miss Philippines?

Voltaire Tayag, executive vice president of the Miss Universe Philippines Organization (MUPH) exclusively shared with INQUIRER.net the process they followed in awarding the two additional titles, as well as the Miss Charm Philippines and the Miss Supranational Philippines crowns.

“I spoke with them (Miss Universe Philippines delegates) individually, and asked them if they will be open to getting a different crown,” he said at the sidelines of the post-coronation media conference of newly-crowned Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo held at Belmont Hotel in Pasay City on May 24.

It was only nine days before the final show when MUPH announced that four more titles under The Miss Philippines will be awarded to winners who will be chosen from the roster of Miss Universe Philippines 2024 delegates.

The four additional titles were awarded after the culmination of the national pageant at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City early morning of May 23, with the Miss Supranational Philippines title going to Baguio City’s Tarah Valencia and the Miss Charm Philippines crown going to Pampanga’s Cyrille Payumo.

Manalo was second runner-up in the just-concluded competition, while Valencia was third runner-up. They were brought back to the stage at the end of the show along with Brooks, Payumo, and their fellow Top 10 finalists Anita Rose Gomez from Zambales and Raven Doctor from Palawan, and Top 20 semifinalists Alexandra Rosales from Laguna, Bianca Tapia from Hawaii, Christina Chalk from the United Kingdom, and Kayla Carter from Northern California.

“The 10 delegates who competed for the four crowns in The Miss Philippines were the highest-ranking delegates who were eligible for one of more of the titles and voluntarily expressed their desire to be considered for titles under The Miss Philippines,” Tayag shared.

“Eligible delegates were given the choice to either accept of waive their right to be considered for the titles under The Miss Philippines. We have the utmost respect for the decision of the eligible delegates who opted out,” he added.

Tayag also explained that for finishing as second runner-up in the national pageant, Manalo had first dibs on the crowns at stake, and chose the Miss Cosmo Philippines title, making her the country’s official bet to the first-ever Miss Cosmo pageant in Vietnam in October.

The three other winners, meanwhile, will be competing in international competitions in 2025, because their predecessors are the Philippines’ bets for the 2024 editions of their respective global tilts.

Valencia received her title from Alethea Ambrosio, who is scheduled to leave for Poland next month for the 15th Miss Supranational pageant, while Payumo inherited her crown from Krishnah Gravidez, who is set to compete in the second Miss Charm pageant soon. Brooks’ predecessor Chantal Scmidt just came from the Miss Eco International pageant held in Egypt last month, finishing as first runner-up.