Chelsea advocates for body positivity and youth education!
Chelsea Manalo embeds herself in the history of Philippine pageantry as the first-ever Filipino-American woman of color to be crowned Miss Universe Philippines.
Her historic win—being monumental in itself—has been heavily celebrated by pageant enthusiasts, particularly on how it champions diversity in an arena wherein western standards are accepted and revered more highly.
Besting 52 other delegates in the recently concluded coronation night on May 22, 2024, the Bulacan native is now gearing up for the international stage in hopes of bringing home the fifth Miss Universe crown.
IMAGE: manalochelsea on Instagram
IMAGE: manalochelsea on Instagram
So, before her countrymen get to celebrate another Filipina feat, here are some of the things people need to know about this black beauty from Bulacan.
Chelsea Manalo in and out of spotlight
Chelsea Anne Manalo is a 24-year-old pageant titleholder and model who was born to a Filipino mother and African-American father. Having lost her biological father, the dusky beauty was then brought up by her mom with the help of her stepfather.
Chelsea entered modeling at the age of 14 and had landed spots in several pages of local magazines.
Now, Chelsea is a “print, ramp, and commercial,” model who worked with renowned fashion designers, including Mark Bumgarner and Job Dacon, as their muse.
With her career in modeling, she was able to finance herself for college to finish a degree in tourism management at De La Salle Araneta University.
Venturing bigger in the world of spotlights, Chelsea then decided to join Miss World in 2017—wherein she finished in the Top 15. Years later, the bulakenya aspirant would see herself winning the Miss Universe Philippines 2024, backed by a strong advocacy on body positivity and youth education.
Chelsea Manalo and her advocacies
As it is known and acknowledged, the Miss Universe Philippines crown carries more than just a title and popularity. At the core of it are the causes that the bearer advocates for—a weighty obligation but a true test of a queen’s mettle, no less.
In Chelsea’s case, she won the crown fair with the guidance of her perspective in beauty standards. As expressed in her profile video for Miss Universe Philippines, she has been bullied growing up due to her physical appearance.
She says, “I grew up having insecurities as I was always bullied because of my skin and hair type. My self-confidence became poor and I started to become indifferent.
“But I did not let this shed my own light. I have a strong support system. My family and friends are my backbone, that is why I had a good understanding of accepting my individuality. They made me realize that I am beautiful in my own extraordinary way.”
IMAGE: manalochelsea on Instagram
Chelsea’s sentiment was echoed again in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo, as she recalled the times she was outcast for looking different.
She shares, “I wanted to always play with my classmates but they would say hurtful things to me and I would go home crying.
But this never disheartened her, for her mother and father always reassure Chelsea how unique she is in her own rights. She says, “My mom and dad would say, ‘It’s okay, you are beautiful, don’t believe what they are saying. And if you want to play with them, continue to do so.”
More so, Chelsea also feels so strongly about promoting education, especially for indigenous kids. In fact, she works with Kids for Kids, a youth-oriented organization that advocates for the welfare of children, especially those who live in far-flung places.
READ ALSO: Chelsea Manalo Promises Philippines “Hindi Kita Bibiguin” In Miss Universe 2024
Fun facts about Chelsea Manalo
It is inarguable that the Philippine bet has a story to tell, backed by her interesting background, substantial advocacies, and the little things that make her the woman that she is today.
While much has been said about her stature as a beauty queen, a lot of people may not know that her pasarela for the swimsuit competition was self-improvised at the last minute, and no one taught her to do so.
She says in her interview with Dyan, “I had trainers who trained me, pero for that walk kasi no one did. Like, I had to come up on my own. So, it was also just like a minute before I went out of the stage. Kasi, of course, behind the scenes, there were girls who would do their training walks, before they go out, they want to make it look perfect. And then, sabi ko, ‘I wanna also make something unique.’”
Chelsea also reveals that she has been ramp walking as a hobby since she was five years old—and a fun twist to that is she always does it in front of a mirror when she is younger.
More so, Chelsea shares drawing inspiration from Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, particularly on the beauty queen’s persistent pursuit of the crown.
With all that Chelsea is and is yet to become, many are already positive that she will fare well and beyond the international stage. Until then, this will remain a dream constantly pursued and persevered by a humble heart that “can mukbang three ice cream flavors” in one sitting.
Banner Art Dani Sison
