LIST: Veteran pageant queens who are competing in Miss Universe Philippines 2025
It's an exciting time again for Filipino pageant fans as we're only a night away from meeting the new Miss Universe Philippines queen.
For this year's competition, 69 hopefuls from across the country will vie for the highly coveted crown. The upcoming coronation will see Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan crowning her successor, who will then represent the Philippines at the 74th Miss Universe pageant to be held in Thailand on Nov. 21.
Apart from the first-time joiners, several pageant veterans made their comeback for the crown. These beauty queens have already showcased their wit, charm, and beauty in other prestigious competitions and are now ready to show more of themselves and prove that they are worthy of the crown.
Ahtisa Manalo
Ahtisa is one of the famous faces in the local pageant scene, with Binibining Pilipinas 2018 as one of her notable stints. In her past interview with Dyan Castillejo, she revealed she wanted the Miss Universe crown, but was hailed as the Bb. International queen instead. She represented the country at the international competition and won first runner-up.
She was initially set to compete for Miss Universe Philippines in 2020, but decided to back out, admitting she “was not ready” and felt that she still “had a lot of growing to do” at the time.
“I think when I joined Binibining Pilipinas back in 2018, I was very young. I was 20. I didn’t feel like I was able to utilize the platform to its full potential,” she said.
“I don’t think I was ready then. I felt like I had a lot of growing to do,” she said, adding that since the interval between Binibining Pilipinas 2018 and Miss Universe Philippines 2020 was short, she believed she didn't have “anything new to offer to the pageant scene.”
After taking a break from beauty pageants for years, Ahtisa ventured into the food business and established cafes in Australia as she focused on preparing for her next pageant.
Ahtisa tried her shot again in the MUPh 2024 competition, where she emerged as second runner-up and was chosen to represent the Philippines in the inaugural Miss Cosmo held in October 2024 and finished in the Top 10.
She now returns to the MUPh stage this year, representing Quezon Province.
Chanel Olive Thomas
Chanel is also among the pageant veterans returning to the stage in this year’s MUPh. The Filipino-Australian beauty queen previously competed at Miss Philippines Earth in 2015 where she won as the first runner-up and was hailed the Miss Philippines Air-2015.
She also competed in Binibining Pilipinas 2017, where she was named Bb. Pilipinas Supranational 2017. She finished as one of the Top 10 finalists in the international competition.
Now representing Nueva Ecija, she is also among the standouts joining the pageant as married 34-year-old beauty queen.
In 2023, Miss Universe officially removed the age restriction for delegates over 18 years old across all Miss Universe and associated pageants. Previously, only women aged up to 28 years old could join the pageant. They have also allowed married women and mothers to be among the delegates.
Chelsea Fernandez
Chelsea of Sultan Kudarat previously raised the Philippine flag at the Miss Globe 2022 pageant held in Albania. She finished in the Top 15 and won the “Head to Head Challenge,” where she talked about her advocacy for youth empowerment.
She also placed as a runner-up in Miss Philippines Earth 2019 as Miss Philippines Water.
Jessica Cianchino
Jessica is representing San Jose, Batangas via the Filipino community in Canada for this year’s competition.
The Filipino-Canadian beauty queen had previously represented Canada in the Miss Asia Pacific International 2019 held in Manila, where she finished as the second runner-up.
She later carried the Canadian flag at Miss Earth 2022, and earlier this year, she was hailed Miss Filipinas Global 2025.
Katrina Llegado
Another beauty queen who made a comeback in the pageant stage is Katrina, who represented Taguig City in this year’s MUPh competition.
One of her notable pageant stints is the Miss Universe Philippines 2022, competing alongside Michelle Dee and Celeste Cortesi. Katrina finished as the second runner-up at the time.
Before vying for the Miss Universe crown, she had previously competed at Miss World Philippines 2019, and earned the Reino Hispanoamericana 2019 title. Katrina emerged as the fifth runner-up in the international competition held in Bolivia.
Outside the pageant scene, she is also a Philippine Air Force Military Reservist.
Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez
Also among the exciting pageant comebacks this year is Winwyn, who represents Muntinlupa. The actress-TV host last made her appearance in the pageant world in 2017 during Reina Hispanoamericana, earning the country’s first-ever crown in the franchise.
During the press conference, she said that what inspired her to vie for the Miss Universe crown was her daughter.
“Everytime I see her, I see so much possibilities, I see so much positivity in life that everything can happen. And I want my daughter to see me as she grows up as someone who never gave up on a dream, and that's why when this opportunity came, I grabbed it. That's why I know I'm going to do my best every step of the way," she said at the time.
Winwyn previously competed in the 2015 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, where she landed in the Top 15 and won the Best National Costume, Miss Talent, and She's So JAG awards.
In 2017, she joined Miss World Philippines, where she won the title Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas. During the competition, she earned the nickname "Latina Slayer" due to her impressive performance in a pageant with a significant number of Hispanic delegates from across the country.
Tyra Goldman
Tyra is representing Bohol in this year’s pageant. She was among the delegates in Mutya Pilipinas 2019, where she was crowned the Mutya Pilipinas Tourism International 2019.
She was also the country’s representative to Top Model of the World in 2019 and bagged the Miss Globe 2020 title.
Yllana Marie Aduana
Yllana represented the Philippines in Miss Earth 2023, where she placed as a runner-up and was crowned the Miss Earth-Air. During the competition, she was among the strong contenders, having placed in the Top 12 of the national costume competition and bagging the Best Bikini award.
The registered Medical Laboratory Scientist was crowned Miss Fit Philippines 2021 and took home special awards including Miss Ultra Slim and Best in Swimsuit.
That same year, she competed in Miss Earth Philippines 2021, where she finished among the Top 10 finalists.
In 2022, she joined Binibining Pilipinas, where she finished in the Top 12 and bagged the Face of Binibini award.
She now represents Siniloan, Laguna in this year’s MUPh.
