Chelsea Manalo hopes to be country's 5th Miss Universe
ANTICIPATION is at an all-time high as the 73rd Miss Universe pageant culminates on Sunday morning (Manila time) at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. This year's edition is historic, with a record-breaking 125 countries and territories competing — surpassing the previous record of 94 entrants set in 2018. Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua will crown her successor, marking a significant moment in the competition's history. Among the contenders is the Philippines' Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan, aiming to become the fifth Miss Universe titleholder from the Philippines, following Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015) and Catriona Gray (2018). Preliminary competition On Friday (Manila time), the highly anticipated preliminary competition showcased candidates in their national costumes, swimsuits and evening gowns. Manalo's national costume, dubbed "Hiraya," stood out as a tribute to the intertwining histories of Christianization and Islam in the Philippines. In an Instagram post, Manalo explained that "Hiraya" is an ancient Tagalog word that conveys the deep meaning of "sana" or "I hope" and "I wish," embodying aspirations and desires. Her intricate ensemble, designed by fellow Bulakenyo Manny Halasan, featured a gold and blue gown with white sleeves, complemented by ornate jewelry, including a headpiece and bejeweled fans. The costume also highlighted Islamic traditions with Sultan Kudarat's Inaul fabric and Mindanao's Tongkaling ornaments. "The rich culture and religious belief of the Muslims are depicted by the majestic and intricate colors and fabric of the Inaul and the decorative forms and patterns of Islamic art. Tongkaling are bells that create distinctive sound with movement. They are believed to bring protection and blessings to the wearer," Manalo explained in an Instagram post. Puni is also showcased in the national costume, one of the most popular arts in the province of Bulacan. Manalo's headpiece, a Spanish Galleon, is inspired by the Galleon trade, while the gown's train shows an image of the Our Lady of Antipolo. "The exploration from Spain and Mexico led to the Christianization of most parts of our country. Together with the spread of Christianism in the country, we embraced and continued our devotion to the religious images such as to Our Lady of Antipolo (Our Lady of Good Voyage), which... gives us faith to help protect and guide us as we voyage through our lives," the designer said. Mixed reactions During the swimsuit segment, Manalo confidently walked the runway in a purple two-piece bikini with a sheer gold cape. For the evening gown competition, she donned a custom-made ocean-blue ball gown with a plunging neckline, also crafted by Halasan. Her performance divided Filipino fans. While some praised her as an "underrated" contender and a "dark horse," others expressed disappointment, noting a perceived lack of energy compared to her showing at the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. "Where is this girl? It seems like a different Chelsea was sent to Mexico," wrote user @Alejandro001B. "It seems she didn't shine. I was even waiting for her 'tampisaw' walk, but the impact felt weak. That was supposed to be her chance — she should recover if she makes it to the Top 30," replied @James46945. "Honestly, her performance was disappointing, especially since she followed Peru. She was even more overshadowed. Her local performance seemed better, so expect the worst," said @victormanalo. "True. She looked confident, tall, and had clean styling during MUP, but in her MU prelims, she seemed unsure, shorter, and her styling was a bit messy," added @Bluemurasaki2. Despite mixed reviews, Manalo remains a contender. Missosology, a leading pageant analysis site, placed her in their Top 10 rankings for both the national costume competition and overall prediction. Coronation night format For the coronation night on Sunday, the number of semifinalists in this edition will increase from 20 to 30, marking the highest number of semifinalists in the history of the pageant. The preliminary competition, consisting of the swimsuit segment, evening gown and closed-door interviews, will determine the semifinalists for the pageant. Four continental queens and one fan-vote winner will be announced at the end of the preliminary competition, each automatically advancing to the semifinals. The initial group of semifinalists will then compete in the swimsuit segment, from which 12 contestants will progress to the evening gown competition. Subsequently, five contestants will advance to the question-and-answer round, where the winner and her four runners-up will be announced. Filipino viewers can catch the show live on Nov. 17 (Sunday) at 9 a.m. via the official Miss Universe YouTube channel, as well as on A2Z Channel 11, Kapamilya Channel, Metro Channel and iWantTFC.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
ANTICIPATION is at an all-time high as the 73rd Miss Universe pageant culminates on Sunday morning (Manila time) at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico.
This year's edition is historic, with a record-breaking 125 countries and territories competing — surpassing the previous record of 94 entrants set in 2018. Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua will crown her successor, marking a significant moment in the competition's history.
Among the contenders is the Philippines' Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan, aiming to become the fifth Miss Universe titleholder from the Philippines, following Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015) and Catriona Gray (2018).
Preliminary competition
On Friday (Manila time), the highly anticipated preliminary competition showcased candidates in their national costumes, swimsuits and evening gowns.
Manalo's national costume, dubbed "Hiraya," stood out as a tribute to the intertwining histories of Christianization and Islam in the Philippines.
In an Instagram post, Manalo explained that "Hiraya" is an ancient Tagalog word that conveys the deep meaning of "sana" or "I hope" and "I wish," embodying aspirations and desires.
Her intricate ensemble, designed by fellow Bulakenyo Manny Halasan, featured a gold and blue gown with white sleeves, complemented by ornate jewelry, including a headpiece and bejeweled fans.
The costume also highlighted Islamic traditions with Sultan Kudarat's Inaul fabric and Mindanao's Tongkaling ornaments.
"The rich culture and religious belief of the Muslims are depicted by the majestic and intricate colors and fabric of the Inaul and the decorative forms and patterns of Islamic art. Tongkaling are bells that create distinctive sound with movement. They are believed to bring protection and blessings to the wearer," Manalo explained in an Instagram post.
Puni is also showcased in the national costume, one of the most popular arts in the province of Bulacan. Manalo's headpiece, a Spanish Galleon, is inspired by the Galleon trade, while the gown's train shows an image of the Our Lady of Antipolo.
"The exploration from Spain and Mexico led to the Christianization of most parts of our country. Together with the spread of Christianism in the country, we embraced and continued our devotion to the religious images such as to Our Lady of Antipolo (Our Lady of Good Voyage), which... gives us faith to help protect and guide us as we voyage through our lives," the designer said.
Mixed reactions
During the swimsuit segment, Manalo confidently walked the runway in a purple two-piece bikini with a sheer gold cape. For the evening gown competition, she donned a custom-made ocean-blue ball gown with a plunging neckline, also crafted by Halasan.
Her performance divided Filipino fans. While some praised her as an "underrated" contender and a "dark horse," others expressed disappointment, noting a perceived lack of energy compared to her showing at the Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
"Where is this girl? It seems like a different Chelsea was sent to Mexico," wrote user @Alejandro001B.
"It seems she didn't shine. I was even waiting for her 'tampisaw' walk, but the impact felt weak. That was supposed to be her chance — she should recover if she makes it to the Top 30," replied @James46945.
"Honestly, her performance was disappointing, especially since she followed Peru. She was even more overshadowed. Her local performance seemed better, so expect the worst," said @victormanalo.
"True. She looked confident, tall, and had clean styling during MUP, but in her MU prelims, she seemed unsure, shorter, and her styling was a bit messy," added @Bluemurasaki2.
Despite mixed reviews, Manalo remains a contender. Missosology, a leading pageant analysis site, placed her in their Top 10 rankings for both the national costume competition and overall prediction.
Coronation night format
For the coronation night on Sunday, the number of semifinalists in this edition will increase from 20 to 30, marking the highest number of semifinalists in the history of the pageant.
The preliminary competition, consisting of the swimsuit segment, evening gown and closed-door interviews, will determine the semifinalists for the pageant. Four continental queens and one fan-vote winner will be announced at the end of the preliminary competition, each automatically advancing to the semifinals.
The initial group of semifinalists will then compete in the swimsuit segment, from which 12 contestants will progress to the evening gown competition. Subsequently, five contestants will advance to the question-and-answer round, where the winner and her four runners-up will be announced.
Filipino viewers can catch the show live on Nov. 17 (Sunday) at 9 a.m. via the official Miss Universe YouTube channel, as well as on A2Z Channel 11, Kapamilya Channel, Metro Channel and iWantTFC.
