Rabiya Mateo on growing up poor: ‘I have a voice to inspire people, bakit ko ikakahiya?’

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo has said she has no problem at all telling people she grew up in a poor household.

“Kasi being a Miss Universe Philippines, hindi naman siya pasosyal-sosyal e. Now you have a voice to inspire a lot of people. ’Yung mga mahihirap mas ma-iinspire sila, ’yung mga mayayaman mare-realize nila to value the things kung anung meron sila,” the beauty queen said in a “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” episode on Sunday.

("Being a Miss Universe Philippines is not just about glamour. Now, you have a voice to inspire a lot of people. You can inspire the less fortunate ones, while you can help the rich people realize how to value the things they have.")

“So parang sa akin, bakit ko ikakahiya? Kasi gusto kong ma-remember ako ng mga tao na isa sa mga beauty queens na nagsumikap talaga sa buhay. Dugo, pawis, ang daming sakripisyo na ginawa ko. Kaya sinasabi ko sa lahat, basta maniwala lang kayo sa pangarap ninyo, matutupad talaga. Tingnan niyo ako ngayon,” she said.

("So for me, why would I be ashamed? I want people to remember me as one of the beauty queens who really fought hard in life. Blood, sweat, I made so many sacrifices. That’s why I tell everyone, just believe in your dream and it will come true. Look at me now.")

The Miss Universe Philippines 2020 revealed that she was raised by a single mom after her father of Indian descent left them when she was young.

“Kaya ’yung Mama ko talaga yung nagtaguyod and dahil sa probinsya rin kami lumaki. And sabi ko nga kailangan ko talagang magsumikap sa buhay kasi naranasan ko in the past na maputulan ng kuryente, humiga lang sa banig, magtrabaho,” Rabiya said.

("That’s why Mama really worked hard and also because we grew up in the province. I said I need to work hard because I experienced electricity disconnection, sleeping on mats, working.")

She recalled that when she stayed at a boarding house in Iloilo while she studied, she slept on a banig while her roommates slept on a foam mattress.

“Hindi ko naman po inisip noon na ay kawawang kawawa ako kasi sa banig ako natutulog. Hindi naman,” Rabiya explained.

("I didn’t feel bad about myself because I slept on a mat. Not at all.")

“Nakikita nila akong nag-aaral na banig lang talaga tinutulugan ko. Pero proud po talaga ako kahit kasi sa probinsya, kami nila lola, sa banig natutulog,” she said.

("They saw me studying and sleeping on a mat but I’m proud of it because in the province, my grandmother and I sleep on mats.")

“When I reached college, doon na may mga opportunities sa modeling, and to be brand ambassadress of different products and nag a-usher ng mga events. Parang naging raketera talaga ako because I wanted to earn something. Lahat ginagawa ko talaga. Pinagsabay ko talaga ang pag-aaral at pagtatrabaho ko para lang may mabigay kay Mama, para may mapang-baon,” she added.

("When I reached college, that’s when I had opportunities in modeling, to be brand ambassadress for different products, and to be an usher in events. I had a lot of gigs because I wanted to earn something. I did everything. I studied and worked at the same time just so I can give Mama something, so we can have allowance.")

One of her friends, Kryszia, said Rabiya would sometimes go home at 11 p.m. from work and wake up at 3 a.m. just so she could study. She also said the beauty queen used to have just a keypad phone.

Talking about her “low-tech” phone, Rabiya said: “Sa mga ibang candidates ang gaganda, so parang meron pa pong nangyari nasira talaga ’yung phone ko. Mabuti na lang po talaga ’yung roommate ko na si Iloilo Province, pinahiram niya ko ng extra phone niya.”

("Other candidates had beautiful phones, and there was a time my phone broke. Good thing my roommate, Ms Iloilo Province, lent me her extra phone.")

Rabiya said after the pageant, a doctor in Iloilo named Pat Tan gave her a phone as a gift.

Looking back at everything she’s been through to get to where she is today, Rabiya said she couldn’t help but shed a few tears.

“Ilang luha na din po … iyong naiyak ko before ako maka-reach sa point na ito. And sabi ko po pinatatatag kasi ako ni God every single time,” the beauty queen said.

("I cried a lot of tears before I could reach this point. And I said God made me strong every single time.") – Kaela Malig/RC/LA, GMA News