"It's such a huge responsibility to wear a crown over your head, and its important to remember that you always have to be inspirational and aspirational because there are not just one country, but the whole universe looking at you"

"I have always been a very proud multi-faceted queen. I love the arts, I love being creative. I'm actually a very, very creative and tech nerd, but just trust that you will see more of me"

"Of course, as a queen, I think and actually I believe that one of the best testaments of that is what you do after your reign. Can you continue your advocacy work? Can you continue to walk the talk?"

"As a journalist, my heart aches for my country drowned by corruption, for the lives lost to earthquakes and typhoons. And for journalists like Mariam Abu Daga from Gaza, who died for truth. We are not born in fear, but to hope, to love, and to live in peace. Peace begins when parents teach children with compassion, leaders embody humility, youth find their purpose. And when we live with empathy and kindness, let love be the grandest voice to peace."

"I've learned that grace is stronger than pressure, that humility opens more doors, and that choosing kindness (even when it's hard) will never make you weak. And most of all, I've learned that every dream has its own timing… and when it's finally your season, everything aligns beautifully."

"I think it is not just about perfection. It is about a queen who is willing — willing to grow, willing to learn, and willing to love everyone. Because right now, what is happening around us is so cruel. It is not all about good. And what we need to be to inspire is to be a source of goodness and kindness."

"There’s always a reason why God put us in this situation… it’s up to you how you will use it. So I hope whoever we are in our life, whether we are beauty queens or we are somebody else, there is a reason why we are there."

"It was definitely not an easy road to get to this point but everything was well worth it!"

"We always come back to the job we love the most."

"Accomplishment is not just about money and not fame but it’s also about how you feel that you are doing."

"The heart and good attitude."

"I soared to the highest levels of success … only to find when I got there that I was empty, did not know who I was, and even despaired of life itself. I really did not have a face of my own."

"Feel. Fill everything to the brim. Feel every nice feeling. Even loneliness because it has a purpose. If you must cry, let the tears flow. That’s what they’re there for—when emotions overpower. Cherish things, people, relationships. Nothing lasts forever."

"It's not really the age that defines you as an actor, it's your talent that defines you as an actor, even as a person"

"I'm an actress. There's no insecurity about being second fiddle,"

"What and where I am now is because of show business."

"Artistry is the soul of the city. Without artists painters, singers, actors, dancers, and musicians the city would have no soul."

"I just want good roles. And these don’t come easy."

"I think people should do what suits them and make them feel comfortable. In pageants now where I get to be invited as a judge, the contestants tend to look the same. I swear when I look at them, they walk the same, they wear the same make-up, same hair, similar gowns. If I was a mentor, I would make them different."

"Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been in the moon for so long I think when he comes over he wants to change, I guess."

"I used to say that when you enter a contest, you must keep it in your mind that this is not the beginning or the end. This is just a stepping stone, something different. If you win, good. If you lose, okay. You make friends, you enjoy. But it’s more difficult for me to say that now because now, they are already 26 or 27, it’s a life-changing career."

"Keep money not the main conversation. But more than anything, make sure they (children) always share, that they’re always part of a group, and that they don’t feel the need to keep up with anyone."

"That’s the number one thing I always told my daughters.“Who cares?""

"Adjust your appetite. Look at the price from right to left. Adjust your appetite to the price."

"Before, it was different. Your mother wasn’t your friend. She always said no. She would tell you something couldn’t be done. She was your protector, your everything. Your mother wasn’t your friend. She always said no. She would tell you something couldn’t be done. She was your protector, your everything."

"Now, they let kids make mistakes. Like my daughter (Isabelle). She let her children fall. And when they cried, that was fine. Unlike me before, when they fell, I got upset. It was very different."

"I think that’s the new age. That’s just how they are now."

"By being busy, working, having many friends."

"I love the business as it is kasi it has made it very comfortable for me. Everything I have ( because of showbiz). A lot of what I have comes from the business."

"In a way, I’m able to explain why I said this, I said that."

"I always wanted them to speak in their language, whatever they’re comfortable with…"

"Health, wealth, and time to spend it."

"I think people should do what suits them and make them feel comfortable."

"Like I always say, winning or losing is not the beginning or the end. It’s only a step towards your own future, whatever it’s that you do."

"Don’t lend money you can’t afford to lose."

"But if you must help, just give a little as a present and don’t expect it to be returned."

"The natural. So I want to see a more natural person."

"I want to create my own character based on what role they give me."

"Always be thankful that you have luck by your side and people will love you more if you are doing your job right. It's good that you listen and learn,"

"But at the end of the day, it’s really swertehan (luck) …. destiny, yes!"

"Tonelada, Rachelle (November 21, 2025). "Ahtisa Manalo Is Miss Universe 2025 Third Runner-Up—Here's How She Did It". Cosmopolitan Philippines."

"Castelo, Sean III (May 2, 2025). "How Ahtisa Manalo Became Miss Universe Philippines 2025". mega-asia.com."

"https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/pageants-beauty-queens/2025/11/8/ahtisa-manalo-highlights-education-advocacy-in-beyond-the-crown-video-0013"

"Golden Girl Ahtisa Manalo Shares What She Whispered in Thailand Ahead of the Miss Universe Competition. ABS-CBN. Retrieved December 17, 2025."

"I'm happy and content. I did my best. That's all I can do."

"There are more things to life than pageantry,"

"As a public figure, you’ll always get unsolicited advice or opinions and I’m used to it. It’s nothing new. I just hope that when people give these pieces of advice, that they remember to be kind"

"I'm standing as Miss Universe, because I was able to get myself out of any situation, because I was hardworking, I was persistent, and I fight for what I want."

"I want our leaders to have self-knowledge, to understand if they can actually do the job they’re applying for because it's a position of public trust. So they got to be trusted, they got to know what they are doing, and they got to make sure that they have the capabilities to do the job that they area applying for"

"Pageantry became my life’s vessel, fueled by the love and the support of those around me"