Ahtisa Manalo breaks ‘Binibini curse’ in Miss Universe Philippines pageant

Find more Miss Universe Philippines 2025 here!

Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Ahtisa Manalo. Image: Facebook/Miss Universe Philippines

With her Miss Universe Philippines 2025 win, Ahtisa Manalo has debunked what many pageant fans consider a “Binibini curse” in the five-year-old national pageant.

From 2020 to 2024, formidable Binibining Pilipinas queens failed to clinch the title in the standalone Miss Universe Philippines pageant since the international franchise changed hands in the country. And keen observers deduced that perhaps the pioneering pageants’ former winners would unlikely get crowned in the younger contest.

But Manalo broke the supposed “curse” when she triumphed in a field of 66 candidates, a highly competitive batch at that, at the culmination of the 2025 pageant held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Friday evening, May 2.

A May 2 INQUIRER.net article posed the question, “Will a ‘Binibini’ finally clinch the Miss Universe Philippines crown?” The new queen’s victory points to a resounding “yes” as the answer to the years-long query.

“Ito o (look at this),” Manalo said after her coronation, proudly showing her pearl and diamond encrusted gold “La Mer en Majeste” crown to the members of the media who approached her onstage.

The interview session was cut short when a rumble was felt from under the stage, and production staff members quickly rushed Manalo to safety, but not before she could quip, “Lagi nang may problema sa stage din (there always seems to be a problem with the stage, too).”

It could be recalled that when she was in Vietnam for the 2024 Miss Cosmo pageant, metal trusses with lighting fixtures crashed down a stage that was previously meant for the final competition show in Ho Chi Minh City.

The mishap resulted in injuries to several delegates including Manalo, who missed several activities to recuperate. She later appeared in a wheel chair, with a bandage wrapped around her ankle.

During Friday night’s show, Manalo also slipped and fell on the floor during the Top 12 gown competition, but quickly stood up to a warm and thunderous applause from the crowd. She slipped a bit another time during the “final look” segment with the Top 5 finalists.

That was not her first slippery encounter in the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant. During the national costume showcase held at Okada Manila in Parañaque City on April 30, Manalo also slipped and landed on her bum just before her batch was about to exit the stage.

READ: Ahtisa Manalo earns cheers as new Miss Universe Philippines titleholder

When INQUIRER.net mentioned her string of leg mishaps, she said, “I know!” adding, “I just wanted to get back up immediately after I fell down.”

She said she was not feeling any pain while speaking with the members of the media, and surmised it might be the adrenaline kicking in. “I don’t know, kung kumusta ang paa ko (how my foot is),” Manalo said.

The newly crowned queen said her shoe snagged the bottom part of her dress the moment she was making a step upon landing from the multi-level stage risers. She also capitalized on the incident during the final question round, relating the experience to a moment she showed leadership by example.

Manalo said destiny played a big part in her victory, as recent events appeared to be pointing her toward the crown, something she first aimed at getting in the 2018 Bb. Pilipinas pageant, then attempted to win again last year.

“I wasn’t even supposed to be Miss Universe Philippines Quezon Province [this year], there was someone already. And then she backed out,” she shared.

“And then I was even in Laoag. I even had to book a flight to get to the contract signing. And even that happened. It felt like I was getting led on that way, so I followed it. Because that rarely happens,” she continued.

Manalo said her victory is a proud and happy moment for her, considering the highly competitive batch of contenders this year. “You’ve seen the Top 6. Any of us could be crowned, and we’ll still have a good fight in Thailand. And I’m just very happy that the judges chose me,” she said.

She will represent the Philippines in the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand in November. The last time the country won the title was in the same country in 2018 through Catriona Gray, Manalo’s Bb. Pillipinas batchmate.