Miss Universe Philippines 2025 candidates wave to the Nortehanons. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P.
Adina For their first trip outside the island of Luzon, the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 delegates flew to the province of Northern Samar, where they received a queenly treatment from the people. A couple of a dozen ladies arrived on Saturday, March 29, while the rest of the candidates came in batches the next day, letting the Nortehanons get to see them up close. Atop six intricately decorated floats, the ladies took part in a parade, where they waved to the screaming crowds who whipped out their smartphones to snap photographs of their pageant idols that they only saw online before.
Perhaps the most popular of the bunch who received the loudest cheers was seasoned aspirant Ahtisa Manalo from Quezon Province, a repeat candidate who finished third in last year’s pageant. Also receiving a lot of love from the Nortehanons were her fellow pageant veterans, 2022 second runner-up Katrina Llegado from Taguig City, and 2023 Miss Earth-Air Yllana Marie Aduana from Siniloan, Laguna. Actress and 2017 Reina Hispanoamericana Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez also got massive cheers from the crowd, while Sultan Kudarat’s Chelsea Fernandez had a marching band greet her at several points in the parade.
The ladies were accompanied by newly appointed national director Ariella Arida and Miss Universe Philippines President Jonas Gaffud, and were welcomed by Gov. Edwin Ongchuan and Vice Gov. Cl.