Thread: Miss Universe Philippines crowns first Black Filipino winner

Filipino American Chelsea Manalo made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Black woman to be crowned Miss Universe Philippines.


Key points:


Manalo, 24, who has experienced bullying due to the color of her skin, emphasized using her beauty and confidence to empower others.


Raised by her mother and stepfather after her father's death, Manalo started modeling at 14 to support her family.


She will represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico, aiming for the country's fifth crown.


The details:


Manalo bested 52 other contestants to win Miss Universe Philippines 2024. Representing the province of Bulacan, she became the first Black woman to bring home the crown.


Her victory challenges traditional beauty standards in the country. She emphasized using her beauty and confidence to empower others, highlighting the challenges she faced as a woman of color.


“I grew up having insecurities as I was always bullied because of my skin and my hair type,” she said, as per CNN. Speaking to ABS-CBN News, she recalled always wanting to play with her classmates but "but they would say hurtful things to me and I would go home crying.”

Manalo said her loved ones helped her realize that she is beautiful in her own extraordinary way. Her parents played a significant role in her success, providing emotional and practical support throughout her pageant journey.


Raised by her mother and stepfather, Manalo started modeling at 14 to help support her family. She holds a degree in tourism from De La Salle Araneta University and has been active in youth empowerment and education initiatives.


"I did see [my dad] when I was in the States before. My mom remarried — they were divorced — and I grew up with my stepdad who provided and treated me as his own,” she told Philstar.com.

Manalo will represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico, aiming to bring home the country's fifth crown. This year's Miss Universe competition will feature over 100 countries and has removed the upper age limit for contestants.


Miss Universe Philippines crowns first Black Filipino winner

Looks like a man, seems the trendy thing to vote blacks as the winner in countries like Japan, Ireland etc. Looking forward to a blonde Miss Nigeria! You can find better looking flippers on any street corner.

Obsessed.

Must admit not my cup of tea but hopefully at least she is a biological female.

Originally Posted by britanicus123

vote blacks as the winner

She is hot you closet homosexual

I find it odd that they refer to her as Black. She is Filipino doesn't matter her skin color. Shit (Katie can back me up) I have seen much darker Filipinos than her out in the country. They don't call them "Black" .

This is all a publicity stunt to make some really odd statement. "Look we have a part Negro Miss Universe, we are not racist" even though we call her Black......

Of course she’s black you colour blind seppo twat.

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

Of course she’s black you colour blind seppo twat.

FO you decrepit old coger. She is Filipino you idiot. Her skin is black. She should be referred to as Filipino. Not a Black Filipino. They are trying to play that Black BS.

Now eat your soft food, take your meds and get back to curtain twitching

No wonder your country is so fucked up, you’re all fucking idiots.

She’s coon black, you dickhead numpty buffoon.

They're like Brazilians to a certain degree in that they can range in hues from near ebony to pinky white. Same- same Thai who range from coon black Isaan to Bangkok china white.

Jesus, I’ve fucked one flipper way whiter than her, a quite sexy singer as it happens, back in the day.

You gormless hick, Stumpy.

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

No wonder your country is so fucked up, you’re all fucking idiots.

She’s coon black, you dickhead numpty buffoon.

They're like Brazilians to a certain degree in that they can range in hues from near ebony to pinky white. Same- same Thai who range from coon black Isaan to Bangkok china white.

Jesus, I’ve fucked one flipper way whiter than her, a quite sexy singer as it happens, back in the day.

You gormless hick, Stumpy.

Cheers you stupid old Dolt.

Just a trend to show how woke they are, used to be that south Americans were the most 'beautiful' now it's half blacks from anywhere. If you don't fall over yourself to praise them agree how stunning they are it makes you a racist, or bigot we are not allowed to disagree with anything that has black in it

Originally Posted by britanicus123

If you don't fall over yourself to praise them agree how stunning they are it makes you a racist, or bigot we are not allowed to disagree with anything that has black in it

Absolute nonsense, like most of your posts.

Here's a vid of Chelsea prior to joining the pageant. She worked at Marriott Hotel near Clark Airport. It's a clip taken from a vid from a few months ago by a Fil-Am family. The Fil-Am family left the West and are now living in PH.

I also posted this in Expats in Asia forum.

She’s lovely. Beautiful manners and look.

^yes, she is. She was an ordinary office girl (hotel receptionist) prior to joining the pageant. She did some part-time modelling since she was a teenager (but there are hundreds of models & she wasn't in the A list of PH models). She seems very sweet and articulate in her post pageant interviews.

I've read that she almost didn't join because of finances. It's pricey to join the contest since you can't work for 4-5 months during the "training sessions", plus you'll have to shoulder your food, transport & lodging expenses, not to mention the clothes, shoes & accessories needed. Since she's from Bulacan (a province north of Manila), I imagine that she had to commute 2-3 hours daily for the training sessions, unless she rented accoms to be nearer the venue. She also didn't have a "glam team". Some clothes designers from her province supported her & gave (or lent?) her the gowns.

The "Internet fave" for this year was another candidate, Ahtisa Manalo. However, Ahtisa's gown didn't really suit her (it was dark red & her dark red lips made her look harsher, I think) and Ahtisa's answer in the Q&A was lackluster.

She does look pretty . I know a Malagasy woman who she reminds me of , also with those cheekbones. I am quite sure the Malagasy has some Asian heritage because of her eyes .

I will show her the video so she can have more confidence in her looks

She's a sweety for sure.

Originally Posted by baldrick

She does look pretty . I know a Malagasy woman who she reminds me of , also with those cheekbones. I am quite sure the Malagasy has some Asian heritage because of her eyes .

I will show her the video so she can have more confidence in her looks

Indonesians migrated to Madagascar some 1,200 years ago, accdg to mitochondrial DNA evidence. (I've heard abt the Indonesians in Madagascar, so I googled.)

Indonesian 'Eves' colonised Madagascar 1,200 years ago

Yes, please show the vid to your friend if you think it will improve her self-esteem. There have been several black Miss Universe winners. Vanessa Williams (1st black Ms America, 1984) is still lovely.

Originally Posted by katie23

Here's a vid of Chelsea prior to joining the pageant. She worked at Marriott Hotel near Clark Airport. It's a clip taken from a vid from a few months ago by a Fil-Am family. The Fil-Am family left the West and are now living in PH.

I also posted this in Expats in Asia forum.

Fancy having to work with some fucking show off videoing you.

Prick.