(From left) Catriona Gray, Chelsea Manalo, and R’Bonney Gabriel. Images: Instagram/@missuniverse, @manalochelsea While Chelsea Manalo is up against 126 other candidates for the Miss Universe crown, she earned the support of former titleholders Catriona Gray and R’Bonney Gabriel , who praised her personality. Manalo is on a quest to win the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown at the 2024 edition of the global tilt on November 16 (November 17 in the Philippines).
Her campaign for the crown is shaping up to be a success so far, as she caught the attention of global publications and supermodel Tyra Banks. A post shared by Miss Universe Philippines (@themissuniverseph) When asked how the Filipina-American beauty queen would fare at the global tilt, Gray said she “gives a fresh new air” to what a Miss Universe Philippines titleholder should be. “Chelsea, she’s great.
I feel like she gives a fresh new air to Miss Philippines. She’s so young, and I’m really excited to see how she transforms onstage,” Gray told reporters on the sidelines of a media con for her upcoming Legacy Ball. “I feel like she’s that type of girl.
When you meet her in person, she’s very sweet and very demure. But onstage, she unlocks a different [side] of herself. She’s really a performer.
I’m so very excited [about] how that comes alive,” she further added. The former beauty queen added that she’s “close friends” with Manny Halasan, who served as the designer for Manalo�.
