Around GMA

Article Inside Page

It's a dream come true for Chelsea Manalo to win the prestigious crown of Miss Universe Philippines 2024.

During her appearance on GMA's morning program Unang Hirit, the beauty queen revealed that it had been her childhood dream to participate in pageants and represent herself as a confident candidate.

Chelsea reminisced about spending hours in front of the mirror as a child, practicing her walk and introduction with a makeshift microphone fashioned from a hand brush.

Reflecting on her journey, Chelsea shared, "It still feels surreal. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na I finally have my sash and my crown. It was just once a dream but finally, I'm here to be an inspiration to many and I hope I can continue to do that so I can win the next crown and be your next hope for Miss Universe."

Describing the coronation night as challenging, Chelsea acknowledged the stiff competition among the 50-plus candidates. "It's very tough," she admitted. "There's a lot of beautiful girls this season."

She also expressed that her achievement was not only her own but also a tribute to her parents, particularly her mother.

"It was tough. There's 53 of us there. Ang daming babae na very deserving, very empowering but what really made me outshine, I think it was my [drive], my purpose, and the values that I really have to uphold because every time I would come up on stage, it was just my parents and my mom's voice that I would listen to. Kasi, this is just not my dream, but this is my parents' dream and those people who supported me," she said.

Chelsea also revealed that her iconic slow walk was a last-minute creation inspired by her experience in trying on her national costume. As the outfit was inspired by the Mandaragit bird, Chelsea found herself needing to walk peacefully, mirroring the bird's movements. Impressed by the graceful stride she adopted, Chelsea decided to incorporate it into her pageant walk, ultimately giving rise to her now-iconic style.

As the winner, Chelsea is now preparing to represent the Philippines at the highly anticipated Miss Universe 2024 pageant, which is scheduled to take place in Mexico.

Related gallery: Chelsea Manalo's inspiring journey to the Miss Universe Philippines crown