Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo with MUPH Pres. Jonas Gaffud. Image: Facebook/Jonas Gaffud
Just like her predecessors, Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo is taking an early trip as she embarks on her journey to the coveted international crown.
The delegates to the 73rd Miss Universe pageant are only expected to arrive in Mexico on Oct. 29, but “La Bulakenya” is all set to fly out of Manila on Monday evening, Oct. 21.
Manalo arrived at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in Pasay City looking chic in a cream-hued trench coat, with a crisp button-down shirt and a pair of light denim trousers underneath. She finished the look with her hair in a neat bun.
Waving the Philippine flag, and carrying it in a pin on her chest, the first black woman to represent the country in the Miss Universe pageant received loud cheers from fans who gathered at the driveway of the terminal’s departure level.
Manalo will first take a sojourn to Los Angeles, California, in the United States before heading to Mexico City, where the Miss Universe pageant will be taking place.
Three of her four predecessors under the Miss Universe Philippines Organization (MUPH) have likewise taken a side trip before heading to the competition venue, with the exception of 2021 delegate Beatrice Luigi Gomez whose trip to host country Israel narrowly missed border closures prompted by uptick in COVID-19 infections at the time.
MUPH Executive Vice President Voltaire Tayag shared with INQUIRER.net that the organization has been sending the delegates away early to “acclimatize” them to the different timezone of the host country, and prevent having jet lag upon arrival where first impressions really do last.
Los Angeles is just an hour late from Mexico City, which in turn is 14 hours behind Manila’s time zone. Manalo is also expected to undergo last-minute preparations while in California.
It was not revealed yet whether Manalo will also meet the Filipino community in the US while she is in California, like what her predecessors Rabiya Mateo (2020), Celeste Cortesi (2022), and Michelle Dee (2023) had done prior to competing in Miss Universe.
Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo. Image: Facebook/Miss Universe Philippines
Manalo will be among more than 120 delegates from around the world, all vying for the coveted Miss Universe crown currently held by reigning queen Sheynnis Palacios.
The 2024 Miss Universe coronation night will be held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Nov. 16 (Nov. 17 in Manila). Manalo will try to become the fifth Filipino woman to win the title, following Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018).