Candid Shot: Ma. Ahtisa Manalo

Miss Philippines Ma. Ahtisa Manalo is now enjoying the sights in Japan as she gains new friends at the Miss International 2018 beauty contest on-going in Tokyo.

Manalo, 21, is aiming to be the 7th Miss International title holder from the Philippines. Other Filipinas who have won in the 58-year-old pageant were Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979), Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Rose Santiago (2013) and Kylie Verzosa (2016).

In one of her latest Instagram posts, Manalo shared a photo of her roommate in the pageant. She wrote: "Meet my new roommate for the whole Miss International activities, Martha! Martha is from Poland and is an Urban Planner; but she's now focusing on modeling and teaching little girls horse jumping. One thing in common immediately! Our love for animals! 💖🇵🇭🇵🇱"

Athisa and her roommate Miss Poland.

The grand finals of the 58th Miss International beauty contest will be held on Nov. 9.

Days before she left for Japan, POP NEWS PHILIPPINES talked to Ahtisa and discussed about some of her favorite things. The beauty queen from Quezon who also wants to be a police officer could only smile and laugh at some of the questions thrown at her. Here goes: - ROBERT REQUINTINA

1) What topics would you spend hours talking about?

“Culture training. When I was training with my instructor from the University of the Philippines, we talked about his experiences in Japan. One of the best things that I’m gonna learn is to learn from someone else’s experience. I believe if someone did a mistake already, why are you gonna repeat it to learn? He told that when he met the emperor, he bowed too little. So that’s one of his mistakes. So parang if you are bowing to someone, learn how to bow properly.”

2) Any good luck charm?

“My good luck charm is the Holy Rosary my grandmother gave me. And also my supporters. They are the best good luck charms.”

3) Do you have a secret talent?

“If you can consider singing in the shower a secret, then that’s it. Hahaha!”

4) What food do you crave most?

“Leche flan is my favorite dessert. I think for four months now, I haven’t eaten it. After Miss International, when I come back here, I’ll eat a lot.”

5) How do you make yourself sleep when  you seem you cannot sleep?

“I recently discovered this from Catriona Gray. She told me that if you can’t sleep, play this music from Spotify or Youtube. Parang meditating music and it really works! I have a problem sleeping ‘cause when I was still in college I would stay up late at night.”

With Miss Myanmar and Miss Mongolia.

6) Language/s you wish you can speak?

“French because it’s sexy. Then German and Russian.”

7)What song/s would hit you a bit of nostalgia every time you hear it?

“Bituing Walang Ningning. When I was a kid, my lola has this big cassette. And meron siyang Sharon Cuneta tapes. So we would always listen to it. I don’t know why ‘Bituing Walang Ningning’ parang na stock na sa akin. It really hits me.”

8) What computer games did you spend hours playing?

“When I was a kid, 'Meet for Speed' and 'Grand Theft Auto.' Those are the two computer games that I really spent time with.”

9) If magic was real, what spell would you like to learn first?

“I think I will learn to try how to be invisible first. And then I will go to their houses to see how their pets look like and I wanna see my pets sleep. When I am invisible, of course they cannot see me. Konting move lang, gising na sila (pets). I rarely see them sleeping.”