Philippine bet Ahtisa Manalo has emerged as the frontrunner in Missosology’s latest Hot Picks for Miss Universe 2025, taking the number one spot ahead of other top contenders.
Missosology described Manalo as a strong favorite “not only for her poise and polish but for a story of persistence, depth, and national pride.” The pageant website noted that the Filipina beauty enjoys a massive fan base in both the Philippines and Thailand, where this year’s competition is being held.
“She is in perfect form—showing undeniable aura and palpable confidence,” the site said.
“A victory by Ahtisa would carry symbolic weight. She would become the country’s fifth Miss Universe titleholder, further cementing the Philippines’ status as a pageant superpower.”
Rounding up the Top 5 are Vanessa Pulgarin of Colombia, Laura Gnjatovic of Croatia, Zashely Alicea of Puerto Rico, and Praveenar Singh of Thailand.
Manalo arrived in Thailand on Sunday to compete for the country’s fifth Miss Universe crown. The Miss Universe 2025 coronation is scheduled to take place in Thailand on November 21.
However, the pageant has recently faced controversy. On Wednesday, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) restricted the participation of Miss Universe Thailand national director Nawat Itsaragrisil following an incident involving Fatima Bosch, the delegate from Mexico.
In a statement, MUO president Raul Rocha expressed his “great indignation toward Nawat for the public aggression he committed against Fatima Bosch,” accusing him of humiliating and intimidating the contestant. Rocha said Nawat had “seriously abused his position by calling security to intimidate a defenseless woman.”
Nawat has since issued a public apology.
The MUO and the Miss Universe Thailand (MUT) organization have also clashed over the latter’s “Special Dinner & Talk Show” campaign, which the MUO deemed unauthorized. MUT, however, maintained that it had the right to organize promotional activities as the host country.
