Ahtisa Manalo wears ‘CJ Opiaza’ at Miss Universe 2025 swimsuit event in Pattaya

The Philippines’ Miss Universe 2025 bet Ahtisa Manalo now knows how to walk in CJ Opiaza’s shoes, or at least the shoe that was named after the Miss Grand International 2024 queen.

Manalo was spotted wearing the nude strappy platform heels during her swimsuit performance in Pattaya, Thailand on Friday.

The Filipino shoemaker Jojo Bragais named the shoe after Opiaza, taking inspiration from the MGI 2024 titleholder’s pageant journey to win the “elusive” crown.

Donning a two-piece string bikini in lime green, Manalo navigated the pool deck of the Columbia Pictures Aquaverse in Pattaya with its varying textures; first, a rough one with steps, then a faux grass mat, and finally a smooth surface over a makeshift ramp placed atop a pool. Even amid the uneven terrain, Manalo showcased her pasarela (pageant walk) and her toned physique during a fashion show.

The pageant veteran from Quezon Province wore the modified version of the Jojo Bragais “CJ” style in nude. The original design is only 5 and a half inches high, while Manalo’s was 6-inch high.

At the swimsuit event, the ladies wore different swimsuit styles for the fashion show, provided by the 74th Miss Universe organizing team in Thailand, and used shoes of their own choice.

Bragais shared his observation from the fashion show in a social media post on Friday evening, and said, “pageant shoes product development is very crucial!” 

He continued: “The balance of heel-to-platform or heel-to-ground ratio must be calculated perfectly, and pivot mechanism of the outsole must be outstanding to prevent tripping.”

Bragais said he got inputs from a previous conversation with Opiaza on what beauty queens need from their shoes when they perform onstage, and these influenced his design for “CJ.”

The ladies are still in Pattaya for the crucial closed-door interview round scheduled today, Nov. 15. They will then fly back to Bangkok for rehearsals and the preliminary competition on Nov. 19.

Reigning queen Victoria Kjær Theilvig will crown her successor at the conclusion of the 74th Miss Universe coronation show that will be held at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi on Nov. 21.

Manalo is on a mission to bring home the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown, which was last won by Catriona Gray in 2018, also in Thailand. /edv