Photo source: @ahtisa
Miss Cosmo Philippines Ahtisa Manalo is looking to bring home the country’s first Miss Cosmo International crown.
It’s less than three weeks until the coronation night for the Miss Cosmo International pageant on October 5, and Philippine representative Ahtisa Manalo is making sure that the pageant gets to know her before that night.
Ahtisa Manalo recently debuted her introduction video in one of the more recent posts on the Miss Cosmo International Instagram account, a one-minute Instagram Reel where she shares why she took on the Miss Cosmo International pageant.
In the video, Ahtisa Manalo revealed that competing in the pageant was her choice, as she had the opportunity to represent the Philippines in another pageant.
“I want to be a trailblazer. I want to set the tone of what it takes to be a Miss Cosmo and I want to be an integral part of a pioneering organization that will change the history of pageantry forever,” she explained.
Ahtisa also shared how growing up, she had very little access to “good schools” and “opportunities”, but she turned to pageantry to lift herself up.
“I joined my first pageant at 10 years old and joined 14 more after that. I made pageantry my vessel for greater things and greater opportunities. Now I lived a lot of my dreams and I’m continuing to design my life the way I want to live it,” she said.
The debut of Ahtisa Manalo’s introduction video comes after the Miss Cosmo International sashing ceremony, where she looked every inch a queen in a gown by Vietnamese designer Lê Thanh Hòa.
Ahtisa flew to Vietnam last week, departing from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, with a send-off held at 2:00 a.m.
Ahtisa was named the country’s Miss Cosmo Philippines representative last May during the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. Chelsea Manalo won the Miss Universe Philippines crown, while the Miss Supranational Philippines crown was awarded to Tarah Valencia. Alexie Mae Brooks was named Miss Eco International Philippines while Cyrille Payumo was named Miss Charm Philippines.
