Ahtisa Manalo Reveals What No One Tells You About Being Miss Universe Philippines

She competed for 18 years, borrowed money for her last shot, and walked on a sprained ankle at Miss Cosmo — now Ahtisa Manalo reveals what nobody tells you about being Miss Universe Philippines. Ahtisa Manalo is Miss Universe Philippines 2025 and one of the most persistent figures in Philippine pageantry history, having competed since the age of 10. After nearly two decades of wins, losses, and public scrutiny, she sits down with Kylie Verzosa for her most honest conversation yet. She reveals: ◼ Why everyone assumed she grew up rich and the truth about her background ◼ How much it actually costs to compete in a national pageant and why she went into debt for her last one ◼ The ankle injury at Miss Cosmo that she's still recovering from and why the internet got it wrong ◼ The one mindset shift that finally made her win after 18 years of trying ◼ Why she says she's a "difficult girlfriend" and what truth-telling costs in relationships ◼ How she's unlearning perfection through acting workshops and what terrifies her about it ◼ The Filipino philosophy "Kung hindi, edi hindi" and why letting go is the hardest skill in pageantry 00:00 Intro 02:22 How It Feels When Everyone Watches You Compete 04:38 The Real Ahtisa vs. The Pageant Self 07:39 "People Think I Grew Up Rich" — The Origin Story 10:15 Who Keeps You Grounded When Everyone Puts You On A Pedestal 12:23 18 Years Of Pageants: Why She Kept Coming Back 14:50 Grieving A Loss On Stage And Your Parents' Savings 16:56 The Philosophy: "Kung Hindi, Edi Hindi" 20:27 The Miss Cosmo Ankle Injury: What Really Happened 22:14 The Honest Cost Of Chasing A Crown 24:50 How Pageant Finances Actually Work 34:14 What Preparation For Miss Universe Really Looks Like 44:30 The Moment She Decided To Come Back One Last Time 51:00 What She Learned From Every Pageant She Entered 1:00:00 The Hardest Question She Had To Answer On Stage 1:03:27 What She Wants To Be Remembered For Beyond The Crown 1:06:15 Life After The Crown: Acting, Hosting And Unlearning Perfection 1:09:38 Dating As Miss Universe Philippines 1:10:37 The Loneliest Part About Being A Public Figure 1:14:06 Her Message To Online Bashers 1:16:25 What 10-Year-Old Ahtisa Would Think Of Her Now You can follow Ahtisa here: Instagram -   / ahtisa   TikTok -   / ahtisa   Almost Honest Podcast: ◼ Watch more episodes -    / @almosthonestpodcast   ◼ Follow Kylie Verzosa -   / kylieverzosa   ◼ Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5rfh5YY... #MissUniversePhilippines #AhtisaManalo #AlmostHonest #KylieVerzosa #Pageant #Philippines #MissCosmo #BinibiningPilipinas