The “Puksaan Edition” is the title given to Miss Universe Philippines 2025 by pageant fans, referring to the intense competition among the candidates. This year, there are 69 official contestants, including pageant veterans and fresh faces.
The term “puksaan” means “annihilation” or “fierce battle,” and pageant aficionados reiterated that it’s just the right phrase to describe this year’s edition when they saw the official candidates during the press presentation held at Shangri-La Hotel in Makati on Saturday.
The Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) 2025 “Puksaan Edition” officially kicked off with a ceremony led by MUPH national director Shamcey Supsup-Lee, MUPH president Jonas Gaffud, MUPH executive vice president Voltaire Tayag, newly appointed national director for training and development Ariella Arida (Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2013), vice president for global and national search Mags Cue, and director for Asia Pacific and local search Arnold Mercado. Miss Universe Asia 2024 Chelsea Manalo also graced the event.
Among the returning beauty queens vying for the crown are Maria Ahtisa Manalo, Maria Katrina Llegado, Yllana Marie Aduana, Chelsea Fernandez, Chanel Olive Thomas, and Teresita Ssen Marquez.
Manalo, 27, first runner-up in Miss International 2018, was a favorite in last year’s competition but finished as second runner-up. She saw the absence of a representative from Quezon Province as a sign to return for another shot at the title.
Llegado, 27, also placed second runner-up in the 2022 edition and previously competed in Reina Hispanoamericana 2019, where she finished fifth runner-up.
Aduana, 28, a Top 12 semi-finalist in Bb. Pilipinas 2022, was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2023 and later won the title of Miss Earth Air 2023. Fernandez, 25, won Bb. Pilipinas-Globe 2022 and placed in the Top 15 of Miss Globe 2022.
Thomas, 33 and married, is making a comeback encouraged by Miss Universe’s inclusivity policy. A former Bb. Pilipinas-Supranational titleholder, she reached the Top 10 of Miss Supranational 2017.
Meanwhile, Marquez, 32 and now a mother, is making the most anticipated return. A cousin of MUPH 2023 Michelle Dee, she competed in Bb. Pilipinas 2015, reaching the Top 15. In 2017, she won Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas at Miss World Philippines and later made history as the first Asian to compete in Reina Hispanoamericana, where she bested South American candidates to claim the crown.
Newcomers expected to challenge the veterans include Eloisa Jauod of Laguna, 23, a Filipino-Indian Psychology graduate from San Pedro College of Business Administration; Juliana Fresado of Iligan City, 19, an English Language Studies student at Mindanao State University; Alessandra Ysabelle Eugenio of Pasig, 19, a Human Resource Management student at Rizal Technological University; and Stefanie Przewodnik of Mandaue City, 19, a Filipino-German beauty and Accountancy Business Management student.
Other strong contenders are Gwendoline Meliz Soriano of Baguio City, 26, a part-time model and Communications graduate from Saint Louis University; Maiko Ibarde of Benguet, 26, Miss Baguio Tourism 2022; Sasha Juli Belle Lacuna of Tarlac, 20, who studied at Tarlac Living Faith Academy; and Taylor Marie DeLuna of Southern California, 22, a model and Miss Filipina International Tourism 2022.