Puksaan na! Seasoned aspirants heat up Miss Universe Philippines 2025 pageant

Yllana Aduana, Ahtisa Manalo, Winwyn Marquez heat up this year’s edition of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. Images from Instagram

Yllana Marie Aduana. Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez, and Ma. Ahtisa Manalo — these are just some of the beauty queens who are joining this year’s edition of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant to be able to represent the country in the global staging of the competition.

While the 2024 MUPH pageant was already a hotly contested competition with veterans of global tilts among the aspirants, this year’s contest is even a tighter race, as fan favorites take on the challenge of targeting the crown.

The national pageant organization presented the 69 delegates to this year’s competition at the Makati Shangri-la on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 15. And among them are beloved queens who have seen action abroad, and have even brought pride and honor to the country.

Perhaps the most accomplished of the lot is Marquez, an actress and the first Asian woman to win the Reina Hispanoamericana crown. She took part in the Latin-dominated international pageant in 2017 as the first-ever Asian contender.

Also in the fray is 2023 Miss Earth-Air Yllana Marie Aduana. She will try to become the second Miss Philippines Earth titleholder to be crowned Miss Universe Philippines following 2022 queen Celeste Cortesi.

Chelsea Fernandez and Chanel Olive Thomas, who have bagged titles in both the Miss Philippines Earth and Binibining Pilipinas pageants are also competing. Fernandez was 2022 Bb. Pilipinas Globe and 2019 Miss Philippines-Water, while Thomas was 2017 Bb. Pilipinas Supranational and 2015 Miss Philippines-Air.

Also returning to the Miss Universe Philippines stage is 2022 runner-up Katrina Llegado, who was also quinta finalista (fifth runner-up) in the 2019 Reina Hispanoamericana pageant.

Also returning is the fan favorite Manalo, who finished as second runner-up last year, and was sent to the first Miss Cosmo pageant, where she finished in the Top 10.

The 69 delegates of the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant/ARMIN P. ADINA

Reigning Miss Universe Asia Chelsea Manalo (front, center) waves to the crowd with the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines delegates./ARMIN P. ADINA

She also competed in the 2018 Bb. Pilipinas pageant alongside eventual Miss Universe winner Catriona Gray. She was sent to the Miss International contest where she finished second.

Also from the Miss Philippines-Earth pageant are 2019 Miss Philippines-Ecotourism Karen Nicole Piccio and 2022 runner-up Jasmine Paguio, while from the Mutya ng Pilipinas stable there is 2019 titleholder Tyra Goldman.

Returning to the Miss Universe Philippines stage, along with Llegado and Manalo, are Chella Falconer and Maica Cabling Martinez.

The Filipino community in Canada is fielding 2019 Miss Asia Pacific International runner-up and 2022 Miss Earth alum Jessica Cianchino, while the United States East Coast is sending US pageant veteran Amanda Russo.

But if there is something that reigning Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo has taught pageant fans, it is that underdogs should not be ignored.

Pageant followers have already noticed Laguna’s Eloisa Jauod, Baguio City’s Gwendolyne Soriano, Isabela’s Jarina Sandhu and Pasig City’s Alessandra Eugenio.

Meanwhile, the Miss Universe Philippines Organization also announced that 2013 Miss Universe third runner-up Ariella Arida is taking as national director, while Jonas Gaffud and Shamcey Supsup-Lee stay on as president and director, respectively.