Ahtisa Manalo’s pageant days are over, but her advocacy continues
Until recently, Ahtisa Manalo didn’t think she had it in her to enter showbiz. She’s not good at acting, she once joked, because her face is much too transparent and readily reveals what she really feels.
But you never know what life has in store. One thing that has always served her well is keeping an open mind and heart. After all, she grew up thinking she would become a police officer or a teacher, and never imagined that she would end up in pageantry in the first place.
Now, after finishing as third runner-up at the Miss Universe 2025 and neatly closing that chapter of her life, she’s once again allowing life to surprise her. So, despite having “zero preparation,” she decided to take a leap of faith and sign with Sparkle GMA Artist Center to jumpstart her acting career.
“Pumasok ako dito without having acted or done any acting workshops. I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but I’m honestly excited to see what surprises lie ahead,” she says.
Perfect timing
Manalo’s willingness to embrace uncertainty may seem surprising, considering that pageantry rewards strategy and meticulous planning. However, the thrill of something new may be exactly what she needs after 18 years of structure. And somehow, she says, it just “feels right to be here.”
“It’s like perfect timing… I’m at a point in my life where I’m willing to explore what I want to do. So all those workshops? I will do them!” says the 28-year-old beauty queen, who also sees herself getting into business and putting her accountancy degree to use. “Maybe something related to health and wellness.”
Given the opportunity, Manalo would love to do a romantic comedy—just something “light and kilig”—hopefully with Alden Richards, whose face she finds gentle and kind. Or perhaps this is her chance to finally live out her childhood dream of being one of Charlie’s Angels.
“I have always been fascinated by action films growing up,” she says. “It’s time for an adventure.”
Hard work and dedication
But while the craft of acting itself is new to her, the work and the pressures that come with it are familiar territory. And fingers crossed, Manalo says, she can channel them into success onscreen.
“I know about hard work and dedication… Representing the Philippines on the international stage was something I’m proud of, but there was also pressure because all eyes were on you, watching your every move,” she says. “But I know I will carry the same values with me that I had when I was competing internationally.”
Then again, there’s no exact recipe for success, and it’s not always a given. She knows this all too well as someone who has had her share of victories and setbacks. Sometimes, your best won’t be good enough, and that’s okay.
“What I have learned is that you can pour everything into something, but that doesn’t automatically mean you will succeed or win. So just have the attitude of working hard—it doesn’t matter if it results in anything,” she says. “The important thing is to make sure you’re pouring your efforts into something you actually want to do.”
A little empathy
This chat was mostly light and cheerful, but when it veered into more serious topics, you could almost see her instinctively shift gears. In light of National Women’s Month and the recent news about the vulgar remarks made by Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay about Anne Curtis, Manalo was asked about the persistent objectification of women.
Suddenly, she might as well have been in a pageant’s Q&A portion. “It’s a deeply concerning issue. Until now, women are often treated as objects. It’s pervasive in our society, and sadly, it even appears in recent news,” she says.
In such instances, Manalo stresses, it’s important that these issues be called out. “Let’s make sure it doesn’t just pass us—‘yong hindi lang natin hahayaan na nangyari lang. Kasi kung papabayaan lang natin, we become part of the problem,” she says. “Calling people out is a great way to do it. Let people know that it’s not okay to do that.”
This issue is even more rampant and vicious on social media, where anonymity encourages people to say whatever they like and cause harm. A little empathy, she reminds, can go a long way.
“Just put yourself in that situation. How would you feel? It’s not okay to make people feel a certain way just because you’re online and feel like the person reading your comments isn’t real,” Manalo says. “But they’re real people with their own lives and feelings. The things you say can affect them. Be careful.”
Indeed, her pageant days may be over, but her advocacies and commitment to women’s empowerment are far from it. As she continues her journey in showbiz, she hopes to inspire others with her story and her drive to reach for her dreams.
“I hope what I have been through helps guide them to achieve whatever they want in life,” she says.
