All bright-eyed, thoughtful, and endlessly grateful—you’ll instantly see and feel it in the manner of how Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo speaks about her family. Having grown up in a tight-knit group in her hometown in Bulacan, the newly crowned beauty queen admits her family is truly her core.

The 24-year-old PLDT Home ambassador fondly shares her cherished moments back home—from being a designated singer in the family to enjoying karaoke sessions with her relatives. “We are a family of singers,” Chelsea, who was raised by her stepdad following her parents’ divorce in her youth, tells Metro.Style about her brood. “My lolo plays the guitar, and my uncle inherited that, too. Then my cousins, some of them play piano, bass, guitar, and I'm always the vocalist. So, when we're all together, it's a family gathering. We kind of have that bonding.”

Singing was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to her desire in chasing a career in the limelight. Still, Chelsea’s parents had her back through and through—up to when she finally won the much-coveted Miss Universe Philippines crown in May. “My mom and my dad have always been supportive of my dreams. They’ve never stopped me,” she said.

So much so that Chelsea reveals her mom as her personal stylist, and her dad, her makeup artist. “I wasn't in any camp or anything like that, so my mom and my dad would always be with me anywhere I go. They do everything–personal assistant, driver, all of it!” the stunner spilled.

But the most important roles that her parents play in her life are being her best friends—always there for her and ever reliable wherever her journey takes her. “Anything that happens in my life, they just know,” she said.

But even the tightest bonds face challenges from time to time. Chelsea admits as she and her family are currently living away from each other, things can easily get harder because of work. One important thing she’s learned especially after winning the local pageant and now that she’s preparing for the bigger stage? “It's always valued time. This is something that I kind of lost track of,” Chelsea revealed. “Our activity [in Miss Universe Philippines] was just continuous, so I really didn't get to spend that much time with them anymore. The thing that I would love to pursue or learn from my experience is to just value time with the people that are really close to my heart.”

Good thing that her reliable internet plan always keeps her connected to mom, dad, and the rest of her family and friends. She’s currently subscribed to PLDT Home Fiber Unli All 1399—super charged with unlimited fiber, unlimited calls, and unlimited entertainment. Not only is her productivity at home boosted with speeds up to 100 Mbps, Chelsea is able to reach out to all her loved ones anytime with unlimited mobile and landline calls. Once she’s done with work and other familial obligations, she can easily relax with her folks at home by enjoying unli movies and TV series from Cignal TV.

Indeed, these in-between reunions and moments with her loved ones allow Chelsea to feel their presence and love even when they would later be distances apart. All those times well spent at home help in maintaining the bond—and knowing that her family is always there for her no matter the time or distance or size of stage she’s competing at, she would always be at her best.

“Connecting people through the power of the internet has been a big factor in my Miss Universe Philippines journey and beyond. Thanks to PLDT Home, a brand that has been a reliable partner for many years to Filipinas like me who communicate, do work, and spread meaningful advocacies, I have become even more confident to conquer the bigger stage,” she says.

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