Here comes one of the most highly anticipated events of the year: Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH). Similar to past years, delegates from diverse backgrounds across the country are stepping up with confidence and poise, and all are eagerly hoping to win the crown that will bring them to the global Miss Universe stage. With the growing excitement among pageant fans and supporters, the competition is shaping up to be as fierce as ever!
Read on to get to know the queens who many believe have what it takes to bring home the Miss Universe Philippines crown this year!
Top Bets For Miss Universe Philippines 2025
Winwyn Marquez of Muntinlupa City
It's a full circle pageant comeback for Teresita Ssen "Winwyn" Marquez, the proud representative of Muntinlupa City in 2025's Miss Universe Philippines competition.
She made history as the first Filipina to win Reina Hispanoamericana in 2017, so Winwyn is no stranger to pageantry. But this time, she's returned not just as a beauty queen, but as a mother—with deeper purpose, life experience, and renewed passion.
Winwyn previously shared that her child is one of her biggest motivations for joining Miss Universe Philippines again. She wants to set an example of resilience and courage, showing her daughter the value of chasing dreams no matter how long it takes.
"I am here to prove that dreams do not have an expiry date. I want my daughter to see me as someone who chased and never gave up on her dreams," she said during her coronation as the official candidate of Muntinlupa City.
"That is why I am here. I also want people to understand that it is never too late to take a chance on yourself, that I do not just represent the crown, I represent the limitless potential of every individual," she added.
Katrina Llegado of Taguig City
Katrina Llegado of Taguig City is the embodiment of beauty and brains. A cum laude graduate in Finance from De La Salle University, Katrina isn't just a pageant participant—she lives by her values, with a strong commitment to both education and service.
For Katrina, education goes beyond personal achievements; it is at the core of her advocacy. She firmly believes that every child, regardless of their background or life circumstances, deserves access to quality education.
Katrina is also a Philippine Air Force reservist, proving that women can thrive in all areas of life, including national service. Earlier this year, she delivered an empowering message during the Department of National Defense's International Women's Day celebration, encouraging women to thrive and lead even in male-dominated sectors like defense and security.
With a track record that includes being 5th Runner-Up at Reina Hispanoamericana 2019 and 2nd Runner-Up at Miss Universe Philippines 2022, Katrina exemplifies empowerment, whether in a service uniform or on stage in a gown.
Ahtisa Manalo of Quezon Province
Another seasoned contender is set to return to the Miss Universe Philippines stage: Ahtisa Manalo of Quezon Province. Having started her pageant journey as early as Grade 4, Ahtisa has grown up in the world of crowns, sashes, and advocacies—and she's not slowing down anytime soon.
Her track record speaks for itself. She was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2018 and went on to earn the 1st Runner-Up title at Miss International 2018. She continued to prove her pageant prowess by finishing as 2nd Runner-Up in Miss Universe Philippines 2024.
She is also a proud and vocal ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, since she has been using her platform to speak up for equality, inclusion, and respect. Her support comes from a deeply personal place—one shaped by relationships with family, friends, and mentors who are part of the community.
"I'm really strong when it comes to gender equality, when it comes to [the] LGBT community, I really try to speak about it, I call [out] someone who is being homophobic, and that's what I'm strong about lang," Ahtisa expressed.
"I have family members who are gay, and I have a lot of friends who are gay also—my mentors, my friends, my supporters. I'm surrounded by gay people and the LGBT community," she added.
Yllana Aduana of Siniloan, Laguna
Yllana Marie Aduana—the Internet once buzzed with her name when she proudly carried the Philippine flag as Miss Earth 2023. Now, she's poised to do it all over again, this time as the official representative of Siniloan, Laguna for MUPH 2025.
As a graduate of Medical Technology, Yllana is a proud advocate of science and uses her academic background to inform her environmental work and champion evidence-based action.
The official website of Miss Earth TV highlighted Yllana's advocacy: "My advocacy is called E.A.R.T.H. Education which stands for Environmental Awareness and Action to Restore and Transcend Home through Education. Through my nonprofit organization called Edukasyon for Every Juan, we aim to achieve environmental amelioration through the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Promotion."
She explained, "The Earth consists of the people, the animals, the communities, the indigenous tribes, and every single unit of life that you can see on this planet... It is important for us to know what the 17 SDGs are and to realize that every single SDG has a direct impact to the nature and vice versa."
Chelsea Fernandez of Sultan Kudarat
Chelsea Fernandez of Sultan Kudarat is also joining the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 lineup. The seasoned beauty queen previously held two national titles: Miss Philippines Earth-Water 2019 and Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2022, where she proudly represented Tacloban.
Her advocacy is rooted in youth empowerment, aiming to inspire the next generation to take action through volunteer work or environmental initiatives. She believes that when the youth lead, progress follows.
Staying true to her cause, Chelsea takes part in green efforts like mangrove reforestation, showing that even small steps can help the planet breathe. With experience, heart, and a deep sense of responsibility, she's not just a contender—she's a changemaker!
"As someone who cares for the environment, my advocacy is to preserve our Mother Earth through active involvement in mangrove reforestation. For me, we have to ease the pain of the environment by creating projects and programs that can create balance for our planet to breathe, and for the people to live," Chelsea said.
Where To Watch The Miss Universe Philippines
We're counting down the days to cheer for our queens at the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 coronation night, which is happening on Friday, May 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
You can also catch all the action via a delayed livestream on Empire Philippines' YouTube channel at 8 p.m.
GMA Network will also be airing a delayed telecast on May 4 at 9 a.m.
