The Philippines may not have clinched the Miss Universe title at the recently concluded competition held in Mexico, but the country’s delegate Chelsea Manalo still made history as the first recipient of the “Miss Universe Asia” title.

Manalo, also the first black woman to represent the Philippines in the most important international beauty pageant for Filipinos, was proclaimed as one of the four “continental” queens during a press conference held after Denmark’s Viktoria Kjӕr Theilvig was crowned Miss Universe at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Nov. 16 (Nov. 17 in Manila).

The international pageant had rather interesting regional divisions when it bestowed the continental queens’ respective titles. Joining Manalo were Finland’s Matilda Wirtavuori as Miss Universe Europe & Middle East and Nigeria’s Chidimma Adetsina as Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.

Peru’s Tatiana Calmell, Manalo’s roommate, was proclaimed as Miss Universe Americas. She was second runner-up in the 2022 Miss International pageant, but managed only a Top 12 finish in the 2024 Miss Universe pageant.

Both Manalo and Wirtavuori finished in the Top 30, while Adetsina was the lone continental queen to advance to the final round of competition. She was first runner-up to Theilvig. 

Women from 125 countries and territories around the world took part in this year’s competition, the 73rd edition of the international pageant.

Surprise

The proclamation of four continental queens came as a surprise to many spectators, but the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) had announced the auxiliary titles during a press launch held earlier, attended by co-owners Anne Jakrajutatip and Raul Rocha.

The MUO revealed at the press launch that it was raising the number of contestants advancing to the semifinals, and would announce the Top 30 delegates, composed of 25 judges’ picks, four continental queens, and the online poll winner. It was not discussed how the continental queens would be chosen.

As Miss Universe Asia, Manalo is joining Theilvig and the other continental queens in visiting destinations around the world to promote the brand and serve as ambassadors of the organization. The Filipino beauty has yet to come home to the Philippines after the international competition.

The Philippines took home another distinction from the 73rd Miss Universe pageant: It was proclaimed as the “Best Host Tour Country” for its warm welcome to then reigning queen Sheynnis Palacios. The Nicaraguan beauty went on a world tour, with a stop in Manila in May where she had a “homecoming” parade.

The Philippines is still the best performing Asian country in the Miss Universe pageant with four winners—Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018).

With its haul, the country ranks as the fourth most successful country or territory in the international pageant. The United States is first with its nine crowns, followed by Venezuela and Puerto Rico, with seven and five crowns, respectively.