Masayang inalala ni Ahtisa Manalo ang naging buhay noong kanyang kabataan. Grade 4 pa lamang noon nang unang sumali sa beauty competition si Ahtisa. “I started doing pageant at 10 years old. I would sell text, pogs, jolens, may sari-sari store kami, bantay ako. Nagtitinda kami ng kandila ng mommy ko sa sementeryo. Magbobote rin ako dati, like mangongolekta ako ng mga pinag-inuman na mga alak. Magdudukal ako ng bakal sa likod ng bahay namin because I wanted to make money. I knew we don’t have that so I wanted to provide that for us,” nakangiting kwento sa amin ni Ahtisa sa Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.
Matatandaang nakalaban ng dalaga noong 2018 sa Binibining Pilipinas si Catriona Gray. Noong isang taon naman ay si Chelsea Manalo ang nakatunggali ni Athisa sa Miss Universe Philippines. Nag-iba umano ang pananaw ng dalaga tungkol sa pagsali sa beauty pageant ngayong taon kaya nasungkit ang korona. “I made sure I wasn’t in my head. 2024, I was overthinking everything. I had a plan a year before it happened. Every single move, every single decision I overthink, I plan it. And then this year, it was sudden that I joined. I wasn’t supposed to be here. But the opportunity came. A lot of doors open for me. So, I was like why not take it? So I was more feeling, I was more experiencing than thinking and planning,” makahulugang pahayag niya.
Ayon sa beauty queen ay malaking halaga ng pera ang inuubos sa pagsali sa mga national beauty pageant. Bukod sa mga damit na isusuot ay maraming kailangang pagkagastusan kaya importanteng mayroong salapi ang sino mang nangangarap na sumali. “At least half a million. I’m lucky that my friends who’s around me, my team, some of them gave me their help without asking something in return. I’m very lucky in that sense. You got to pay your hair, your makeup, stylist. You got to have pamasahe, money for food. And if you are not from from Manila, you got to have money for your rent,” paliwanag ng dalaga.
Gaganapin sa Thailand ang Miss Universe 2025 sa darating na Nobyembre. Bilang paghahanda ay pinagtutuunan ng panahon ni Ahtisa ang kanyang kalusugan. “After my coronation, we had an afterparty with all of the other candidates and the organization. I got home around 4 a.m, I couldn’t sleep until 7 a.m. ‘coz I was already thinking what do I do in Thailand. I was already thinking of a game plan. I was able to come up with a lot of things. But I think more so my main focus is being fit. I’ve been sick for like three days before the finals. Up until now, my voice hasn’t gotten back properly. I wanted to give the Philippines a great fight, making sure that I am 100% healthy. Because when you are healthy in your physical body, your mind follows, your confidence. So that’s my main focus for Thailand,” pagbabahagi ng Miss Universe Philippines 2025.
Samantala, wala raw nagpapatibok sa puso ni Ahtisa ngayon.
Mayroong mensahe ang dalaga sa sino mang magbabalak na manligaw sa kanya. “I’m single, nag-aantay ako. I don’t look for it. You better show me what’s up so I know if I’m gonna pick you or not. It’s an offer, Tito Boy, they got to show me what they can offer. I’m living a good life myself. My family loves me, my friends love me. I can provide for myself, and I can give myself a good life. So, this person who’s gonna come in to my life has to give me something more,” natatawang paglalahad ng beauty queen. — Reports from JCC