Chelsea Manalo details her plans as first Miss Universe Asia
While the Miss Universe 2024 pageant has ended, Chelsea Manalo's journey is just getting started. The first Miss Universe Asia shared what her plans are after being crowned.
In an interview with reporters, the beauty queen from Bulacan detailed that she is set to tour different parts of the world as part of her duties as one of the inaugural "Continental Queens."
"[My plans] for Miss Universe Asia, or for the whole Continental Queen, is to work with the organization, with the charities, with social projects, and at the same time, we will be traveling as well," Manalo said.
"Siguro we will be going around Asia first and then by next year na May, I know I have a Europe tour," she added. "Wala pa kaming full schedule, there's no final details yet. But if ever there is, I know that we will be working really well with the organization."
When asked whether she sensed that the Miss Universe organization was eyeing to name her as Miss Universe Asia during the competition, Manalo said that she had an inkling that they would.
"I had that feeling. The Philippines is really strong this year kasi we made history eh. Here in the Miss Universe Philippines, I was making history so when I went there, I was working really well with the organization, showing them my authentic side, my personality. They really liked it," Manalo said.
"From the closed-door interview, they really liked my personality. Each and every seat kasi doon, iba iba 'yung judge. I told myself, 'In every seat, I have to show my best personality,'" she continued.
She further shared that she even flexed her knack for singing to the judges.
"I had to sing A Whole New World kasi they did remember that Filipinos love to sing. You guys love to sing karaoke, and then I told them about how popular and how much talent [we] have here in the Philippines, and then suddenly, [they said,] 'Sing for us!'" Manalo recounted.
"So I sang my heart out with A Whole New World and 'yun, the personality siguro, they saw it and they really liked it, so I guess that's the reason why we have Miss Universe Asia now," she highlighted.
Other Continental Queens include Nigeria's Chidimma Adetshina as Miss Africa and Oceania, Finland's Matilda Wirtavuori as Miss Europe and Middle East, and Peru's Tatiana Calmell as Miss Americas.
Manalo returned to the Philippines on December 9 after the pageant's conclusion last November 16. She finished in the Top 30 and won the Best in National Costume award with her religion-inspired attire by Manny Halasan.
