AHTISA Manalo was welcomed with loud cheers as she brought the spirit of Filipino fiestas to the 2025 Miss Universe pageant’s national costume presentation in Thailand.
The costume, called “Festajada: Queen of Philippine Festivals,” is a creation of Filipino designer Mak Tumang, who gained prominence for 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray’s iconic “lava” gown.
For this year’s Miss Universe national costume, Manalo wore a dainty Maria Clara top, made of piña silk, complete with a pañuelo and bell sleeves, representing Filipino and Spanish influences, and a full skirt inspired by the Pahiyas festival in her native Quezon province that celebrates good harvest and bounty.
The look also incorporated influences from two other major festivals in the Philippines — the Giant Lantern Festival of Pampanga and the Panagbenga Festival of Baguio.
On Facebook right after her widely-applauded performance, she posted that her costume signified the cherished tradition of the festival queen, “a living symbol of beauty, grace, and cultural pride.”
“The Philippines is a nation of fiestas where every town and barrio bursts with rhythm, color, and devotion. This costume captures that collective heartbeat, weaving together history, tradition, and festivity into a single, radiant vision,” said the beauty queen.
“These elements pay homage to the beloved heroine of Dr. José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, María Clara- the symbol of the ideal Filipina: virtuous, modest, and dignified. Her name and her grace would forever define this attire, which later evolved into the modern terno, the national dress of the Philippines.” “With every step, I become the living festival of the Philippines — carrying the brilliance of a thousand lanterns, the warmth of Filipino hospitality, and the timeless grace of María Clara onto the Miss Universe stage,” she further said.
A nod to Manalo’s first national competition
Tumang also expressed pride for yet another iconic creation that symbolizes Filipino culture.
“To be given the opportunity to create a national costume for the Philippines for Miss Universe–this isn’t just work, it’s a dream I’ve held close since childhood. Grateful, honored, and deeply humbled to see it finally come to life,” the designer posted on social media.
Tumang employed the “traje de mestiza’ silhouette using handcrafted piña fabric. “The skirt, built from more than 65,000 individual petals, brings together the stories of our greatest festivals – the giant lanterns of Pampanga, the colors of Pahiyas, and the blooms of Panagbenga,” the Miss Universe Philippines pageant posted on social media.
Plumage, sequins, stones and other embellishments brought life to the national costumes of the 120 participants who took the stage at Hall 2 of Impact Challenger in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 19.
Although not a competition where the ladies can earn points to advance them to the semifinals, the national costume presentation is still one of the most anticipated events of the annual pageant.
Voting for the Best National Costume is still running on the official Miss Universe mobile app, where several other categories as still open, including the one for People’s Choice whose winner earns a guaranteed spot in the semifinals.
The important preliminary competition was held Wednesday night, also in the same venue. It served as the ladies’ last chance to earn points that will push them to the semifinals. The crucial closed-door interview round was conducted in Pattaya on Nov. 15.
Manalo and the rest of the delegates will fight for the Miss Universe crown currently held by Victoria Kjær Theilvig at the final competition show, also at the Impact Challenger Hall, on Nov. 21. (Armin P. Adina © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
