LOOK: PH bet Ahtisa Manalo arrives in Thailand for 2025 Miss Universe, receives a warm welcome from fans
The candidates for the 2025 Miss Universe beauty pageant began arriving in Thailand on Sunday, Nov. 2.
While some of the girls have arrived earlier, Nov. 2 is the actual arrival date for the candidates of the prestigious pageant. This is also the day for registration and fitting.
The grand coronation of the 2025 Miss Universe beauty pageant is scheduled for Nov. 21. Over 120 contestants are competing, marking the largest number of participants in Miss Universe history.
The arrival of the candidates came after Nawat Itsaragrisil, organizer of the 74th Miss Universe pageant, announced that the pageant would push through despite the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand.
However, Nawat said that there would be adjustments to the pageant's format and activities. He stated that the pageant could not be postponed or rescheduled anymore because preparations and operations had been underway for some time, and some contestants and members of the international teams had already arrived in Thailand.
Miss Universe Philippines Ahtisa Manalo received a warm send-off from her fans at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Sunday.
On Instagram, Ahtisa thanked her fans for the warm send-off. "Thank you for the beautiful send-off, Philippines!" Ahtisa also received a warm welcome from our kababayans in Bangkok.
Ahtisa, 28, will vie for the Philippines' fifth Miss Universe crown. Filipino women who have won the Miss Universe crown were Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Gray (2018).