Ahtisa Manalo is 3rd runner-up in controversial Miss Universe 2025

So close, yet so far away. As a coping mechanism, Filipino pageant fans have already replayed Catriona Gray's Miss Universe winning moment for the seventh year in a row, as Ma. Athisa Manalo was named third runner-up in the 2025 finals yesterday, November 21, in Thailand.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

Manalo, 28, who was among the candidates who received the loudest cheers at the finals, impressed spectators with her colorful festival queen-inspired national costume by Mak Tumang at the preliminaries and her white regal corset-styled evening gown by Val Taguba during finals, which helped secure her spot all the way to the top five.

During the Q&A, two questions were asked: first, by one of the judges selected at random, and the second—the most crucial final question—was asked to every top five finalist.

Her responses to both questions came from a deeply personal place. Born to an estranged Finnish-Swedish father and a Filipino-Spanish mother who took on side gigs to make ends meet, she was raised by her late grandmother, whom she credits as her inspiration for joining Miss Universe in her honor.

In an interview with Push, she shared that she grew up moving between the households of various relatives. At 10, when she won her first pageant, her tuition fee was paid for a year as part of the prize, which helped her grandparents, who had been putting her through school despite their financial situation.

When asked how she could contribute to humanity as a global ambassador, she said she wanted to inspire others that they, too, can achieve their dreams.