Manila names Justine Felizarta as its representative to Miss Universe Philippines, as the seasoned beauty queen merges healthcare advocacy, entrepreneurship, and pageantry experience into one renewed pursuit of the crown.
The capital has chosen its new standard-bearer and she steps forward with a story built not only on titles and tiaras, but on service rooted in real communities.
Justine Felizarta has officially been named Manila’s representative to the upcoming Miss Universe Philippines competition, marking a full-circle return to the national stage more than a decade after she first began her pageant journey.
For Felizarta, this chapter is not about reinvention. It is about evolution.
The heart of Manila’s representative and her mission for healthcare equity
“I am not here to just wear a sash; I am here to carry the pulse of Manila,” she said, framing her bid as a responsibility rather than a reward.
Outside the spotlight, her days are spent in consultation rooms and outreach sites. Through her initiative, Reseta, she works with partner organizations to deliver medical consultations and basic healthcare services to underserved communities. It is in these neighborhoods, she shares, where her purpose became sharper.
“Through our work with Reseta, I’ve seen the disparity in our healthcare system. My goal is to use this platform to champion equitable health services.”
For Felizarta, glamour and advocacy are not separate worlds. She sees beauty as an amplifier, a way to make care visible and accessible.
“I want to show that beauty is most powerful when it is used to heal and provide for those in the margins.”
A decade of pageant experience from Miss Manila to the national stage
Her return to national competition carries the weight of experience. She first competed in Miss Manila 2014, later stepping onto bigger stages including Binibining Pilipinas 2021 and Miss World Philippines 2022. That same year, she represented the country at Miss Tourism World 2022, finishing as first runner-up to Japan’s Erina Hanawa.
Now entering her fourth major pageant journey, Felizarta believes experience is more than a credential it is preparation.
“Pageant experience is an advantage because you take with you every lesson from each one you joined,” she said, recalling how watching Ariella Arida during the 50th anniversary of Binibining Pilipinas shaped her understanding of purpose-driven competition. “Purpose defines the crown, whatever brand it is. You use it with your voice to inspire a lot of people.”
Her renewed pursuit also comes after years of waiting for the right moment.
“Twelve years ago, the Miss Manila pageant gave me the opportunity to start my pageant journey. So when they invited me to have a shot at the Miss Universe Philippines crown, I said yes to a dream that I thought was over for me. When the opportunity presented itself, it was too good to pass.”
She admitted that regulatory shifts within the pageant landscape reignited what once felt like a closed chapter.
“I’ve been eyeing for the Miss Universe crown since I first joined pageantry. But license holding exchanged hands, ‘til the unexpected changes happened that kind of reawakened my dream,” she said.
Today, Felizarta steps into the competition not merely as a contender polished by years of training, but as a woman shaped by community work and lived experience.
If she wears the sash, she intends for it to represent more than a city; it will carry the stories of those she has served, and the healthcare gaps she hopes to help bridge.
Felizarta is among the 51 candidates competing in this year’s Miss Universe Philippines, where reigning queen Ahtisa Manalo is expected to pass on her crown this May. The winner will go on to represent the Philippines at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico.
I want to show that beauty is most powerful when it is used to heal and provide for those in the margins.
Justine Felizarta
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