Rabiya reveals Beatrice Luigi Gomez is one of her 'favorites'

Like many fans, Rabiya Mateo was proud of Beatrice Luigi Gomez for putting the Philippines back on the Top Five of the Miss Universe pageant.

In an exclusive GMA Digital interview this week, Rabiya shared she now was simply a pageant “fan” who has been following Bea’s journey.

“Actually, Bea is one of my favorites when she was still competing in Miss Universe Philippines,” Rabiya said.

“I would always look at her and I would always see something special in her kasi parang she was also a dark horse when she was competing, hindi din grabe ‘yung fan club niya, ‘yung support group niya. Pero ‘yung performance, ‘yung init, y’ung charisma niya on stage — nandoon talaga.”

According to Rabiya, she's already readied herself for the slew of comparisons she knew was going to come at her as the 70th Miss Universe took place.

“I guess I readied myself for something like ‘cause it’s [a] beauty pageant — People are gonna always compare you or people will always remember you [for] the last performance you delivered and that’s it,” she said.

“Ngayon hindi na rin ako nasasaktan kasi parang sa dami kong mapagdaanan it made me [tougher and tougher] and I just learned how to not take things so personally.”

Rabiya said while people are “attacking Rabiya as a performer, who reached Top 21" they didn't really know the "Rabiya behind the camera," what she sacrificed to get into that spot, and "how much I wanted to win the crown that night.”

Beatrice Luigi Gomez came very close to winning the 2021 Miss Universe competition last December 12, where she made it all the way to the Top Five.

Rabiya, who represented the country at the 69th edition of the pageant last May, bowed out early after making it to the Top 21.

Despite her heartbreaking loss, Rabiya said her pageant days provided a great "training ground" that paved the way to her new career as an actress.

Officially signed as a Kapuso, Rabiya is set to star in Book 2 of GMA’s action drama “Agimat ng Agila” coming next year. — LA, GMA News