Chelsea Manalo
Manalo previously competed in Miss World Philippines 2017, where she placed in the top 15.
An advocate for indigenous people, Manalo campaigns for youth education, accessibility, and empowerment.
Early life and education
Manalo was born in Malhacan, Meycauayan, Bulacan, on October 14, 1999, to a Filipino mother, Contessa Manalo, and an American father. Her parents separated in 2000, and after her father's death, Manalo's mother remarried. Manalo was raised by her mother and stepfather Randy Angeles. Manalo briefly lived in Las Vegas, Nevada with her paternal grandmother between ages ten and twelve.
Manalo began working as a model at age 14, and began her career in pageantry as a high school student. Manalo has cited English model Naomi Campbell as an inspiration. Manalo became an endorser for the Philippine clothing brand Bench in 2021. She graduated from De La Salle Araneta University with a degree in tourism management.
Pageantry
Miss World Philippines 2017
In 2017, Manalo competed at the Miss World Philippines 2017 pageant. In the run-up to the pageant, Rappler named her as a "dark horse" candidate, providing praise for her runway walk. In the fast-track events, Manalo was named as a finalist for the "Top Model" challenge, which was won by Thia Tomalla. At the coronation night held on September 3, 2017, Manalo finished as a top 15 finalist for the crown, which was won by Laura Lehmann.
Following her stint in Miss World Philippines, Manalo was touted as a potential candidate for Miss Universe Philippines 2021.
Miss Universe Philippines 2024
On February 19, 2024, Manalo was introduced as one of the 55 delegates competing at Miss Universe Philippines 2024, representing Bulacan. Following her introduction, Mega named her as one of the ten competitors in the pageant to "look out for", describing her as a "queen who’s willing to make a revolution happen". Like her stint in Miss World Philippines, Manalo was viewed as a "dark horse" leading up to the coronation night.
Manny Halasan, her manager, shared in an interview with Vogue magazine that they encountered financial hardships while competing in the pageant, which nearly led to Manalo's withdrawal from the pageant. Manalo recalled that she did not have a stylist and largely relied on local designers, who lent her dresses, for her outfits in the competition. The provincial government of Bulacan also provided financial assistance for Manalo's bid for the crown.
During the competition, Manalo drew flak online for including the construction site of the New Manila International Airport, whose development was subject to environmental concerns, in her tourism video for the pageant. In the preliminary competition, Manalo won one special award from the pageant's sponsors.
At the coronation night, Manalo advanced to the top five, where she was asked, "You are beautiful and confident. How would you use these qualities to empower others?". She responded:
As a woman of color, I have always faced challenges in my life. I was told that beauty has standards. But for me, I have listened to always believe in my mother, to always believe in myself, and uphold the vows that I have. Because of these, I am already influencing a lot of women who are facing me right now. As a transformational woman, I have here 52 other delegates with me who have helped me to become the woman I am.
At the end of the event, Manalo was named as the winner and was crowned by outgoing titleholder Michelle Dee. With her win, Manalo became the first Filipino of African descent to be selected to represent the Philippines at Miss Universe. Her victory was celebrated online as a challenge to the "ingrained preference for Eurocentric beauty" long held in the country. The provincial government of Bulacan honored Manalo with a homecoming parade on June 9.
Miss Universe 2024
Manalo will represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant, to be held in Mexico.
Advocacies
Manalo is an advocate for the indigenous Dumagat people of Norzagaray, Bulacan. She has worked with the youth organization Kids for Kids, which aims to reach out and empower indigenous youth.