Ahtisa Manalo first delegate to ‘Hit the Road’ for Miss Cosmo 2024

The Miss Philippines-Cosmo Ahtisa Manalo/ARMIN P. ADINA

Ahtisa Manalo, the Philippines’ representative to the inaugural edition of the Vietnam-based Miss Cosmo pageant, will be the first delegate to join a series of livestream sessions dubbed “Hit the Road,” with Dr. Bich Na, the contest’s health director.

“Let us welcome the first queen who will join our livestream on August 14th – Miss Cosmo Philippines, Ma. Ahtisa Manalo!” the doctor was quoted as saying in a post that the beauty queen shared on social media on Monday, Aug. 12.

The livestream will drop at 8 P.M. in Vietnam (9 P.M. in Manila), and may be viewed on the doctor’s Instagram channel at @dr.bichna online.

“At Miss Cosmo 2024, my primary goal is to ensure that each of you receives the best possible healthcare and skincare guidance. I believe that feeling healthy and confident in your skin is essential for your overall performance and well-being,” Bich Na continued in the post that Manalo shared.

A fan favorite in the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, Manalo received the title The Miss Philippines-Cosmo 2024 after finishing as second runner-up in the competition in May. The title falls under the contest’s sister search The Miss Philippines.

She is a pageant veteran who competed and won alongside 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray at the 2018 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, where she earned the right to represent the country in the Miss International pageant in Japan. She was first runner-up in the global tilt.

Manalo shared that she herself chose to compete in the Miss Cosmo pageant. “I came from the startup industry and I love being part of young organizations, I love being part of making something out of nothing. And I think that Miss Cosmo is the perfect venue for me to share my talents and experience,” she said at an earlier press event.

Prior to this, Miss Universe Philippines Executive Vice President Voltaire Tayag had already shared with INQUIRER.net that Manalo had first dibs on the other titles at stake, and she chose to compete in the Miss Cosmo pageant.

Manalo’s revelation confirmed this when she said, “My answer to Voltaire was ‘only if, and if you double check and you triple check that I’m not Miss Universe Philippines, I’ll accept Miss Cosmo.’”

The inaugural staging of the Miss Cosmo pageant will take place in Vietnam, with the coronation show scheduled on Oct. 5 in Ho Chi Minh City.