Nagpahayag ng suporta ang former Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) winners na sina Ariella Arida, MJ Lastimosa, at Gazini Ganados kay Rabiya Mateo na pambato ng bansa sa upcoming Miss Universe pageant this May 16 [May 17 sa Pilipinas].
Sa online tsikahan nila with TV writer and YouTube vlogger G3 San Diego last April 26, natanong ang tatlo kung ano ba ang nakikita nilang alas ni Rabiya na p’wede n’ya magamit para maiuwi ang ikalimang Miss Universe crown ng bansa.
“She speaks from the heart and that’s the most important thing for me talaga, to have substance and purpose,” pahayag ni Gazini na s’yang nagkorona sa current Miss Universe Philippines titleholder nang manalo ito last year.
Lahad pa ng Miss Universe Philippines 2019 winner, “Her story is one of a kind, it’s very unique kasi… It’s not about her talking about her story. It’s the other people. After she won, people are posting stories how she conquered education.”
“And then pinaaral n’ya pa ‘yong kapatid n’ya. And natutulog lang s’ya sa sahig,” pagpapatuloy pa ni Gazini. “That’s very inspiring for people who live not only in provinces but those who dream of being Miss Universe Philippines.
“So, ang masasabi ko talaga she’s very driven to everything, and she’s willing to learn. She’s eager to learn. I know that she’ll make us very, very proud,” dagdag pa ng Cebuana-Palestinian beauty.
Sey naman ni Miss Universe 2013 Third Runner-Up Ariella Arida, gawin lang daw ni Rabiya ang ginawa n’ya during the national pageant noong nire-represent pa n’ya ang Iloilo City ay edge nang maituturing.
“Alam mo the moment I saw her [noong] MUP [pageant] pa lang, just do the same thing talaga [sa international stage] ‘cause I don’t know how she managed to sway me during that night in the way she perform,” saad ng beauty queen-turned-actress na isa rin sa naging judges noong MUP pageant na ginanap sa Baguio City.
“And I guess, gawin n’ya lang ‘yon, the same thing,” dagdag pa n’ya. “Alam ko naman na ang dami n’ya pang ginawang improvement ngayon so sana ‘wag mag-overthink. I mean… ‘di ba? Kasi iba ‘yong nagagawa pag nag-o-overthink, e.”
Kumpiyansa din daw s’ya sa training ni Rabiya maging sa team na humahawak ngayon sa kandidata ng Pilipinas.
“So feeling ko naman she’s well trained for [Question and Answer segment],” sabi pa ng The Lost Recipe supporting actress. “Basta kung ano’ng ginawa n’ya nu’ng MUP, performance-wise with the swimsuit and with the gown… I love it so much.
“And the Q and A, I don’t know how it’s going to be with the new Miss Universe. But ako, I do trust the people behind her since it’s the same people who produced our crowns for Miss Universe kaya I really have high hopes that Rabiya can really win it,” pahayag pa n’ya.
Gusto naman daw ni MJ Lastimosa ang pagiging matanong ni Rabiya dahil nangangahulugan daw ‘yon na marami itong gustong malalaman at matututuhan.
“During the final moment na, nu’ng top 5, ‘yong isa na lang ‘yong question, and the way Rabiya handled everything, I knew that this girl is in it to win it,” pagre-recall ng Filipino-Arabian beauty queen.
“Then after that when she came back, she would always reach out to me to ask questions. She’s looking for all the things that she can improve, all the things that she has to learn, and what else she can do to actually level up.”
Pagpapatuloy pa ng Miss Universe Philippines 2014 titleholder, “She always asks questions and I think that’s a good thing. When you ask questions, you learn more and ‘yan ang ginanagawa nang matatalino and you just can tell that Rabiya is… ‘di ba?
“We know that she’s an educator so speech-wise, in Q and A, she’s going to ace that. She’s actually working hard to improve her body para mas maging Miss Universe level pa. I know that she’s giving her all kaya bigyan natin s’ya ng chance, no matter what.” pagtatapos n’ya.
At bilang may experience na sila sa international pageant, nahingan ni G3 ang tatlo ng advice na p’wedeng ibigay para kay Rabiya na nasa Florida, USA na ngayon.
“As cliche as it sounds, be yourself lang talaga kasi at the end of the day, you’ll find more regrets thinking that you showed a different person,” sabi ni Gazini. “At least, when you showed yourself as genuine as you can, then people [would] really know how beautiful you are inside and out.”
“Have fun,” sagot naman ni Ara [nickname ni Ariella]. “Alam mo ‘yon? Kasi at the end of the day, whether you win it or not, if you enjoy your journey parang you would treasure all the memories.
“Hindi mo maiisip na, ‘Dapat ginawa ko ‘to. Dapat ginawa ko ‘to,’ kasi parang on that whole duration nag-enjoy ka. So ‘yong matitirang memories mo, all the fun memories… It will also reflect on how you would perform and how would you answer.”
Kabilin-bilinan naman daw ni MJ sa mga messages n’ya kay Rabiya na ‘wag muna isipin ang ibang bagay at mag-focus sa pageant.
“Alam kong isa sa concern ni Rabiya is to lift her family’s situation, and I assured her, I told her na your luck is in here,” pagbabahagi n’ya.
“Sabi ko, ‘Nanalo ka na [sa Miss Universe Philippines]. There’s a reason why you actually won this.
And I’m sure with the kind of person that you are, you love your family so much, I know that you’re going to change your family’s situation. The opportunity is going to be there for you after the pageant but for now focus on this competition.’”
Sinabihan din daw n’ya si Rabiya na gawin na ang lahat ng kanyang makakaya para wala s’yang pagsisihan sa huli.
“I keep on telling her na, ‘Ibigay mo, itodo mo na ‘to kasi ang bilis lang,” ani ni MJ. “And after that, wala na, tapos na ‘yon. You can’t go back and you can’t regret every decision that you’ve made in the pageant.”
Dugtong pa n’ya, “‘Don’t ever compare your experience with us, with the other girls, and how it ended for them kasi that’s their own story to tell. But this is yours.’”
Gaya ni Ariella, kumpiyansa din daw ang beauty queen-turned-actress na si MJ sa kakayahan ni Rabiya.
“I know that no matter what, I’m going to be proud of Rabiya. She got it all. Alam kong meron s’ya kung ano man ‘yong hinahanap ng Miss Universe and I think destiny na lang talaga ang magsasabi if it’s for her. But no matter what, I’ll support her because I know that she will give everything,” pagtatapos ni MJ.
Layon ngayon ni Rabiya na sundan ang yapak ng mga dating Miss Universe winners mula sa Pilipinas na sina Gloria Diaz [1969], Margie Moran [1973], Pia Wurtzbach [2015] at Catriona Gray [2018].
Sakaling palarin, si Rabiya ang magiging ikalimang beauty queen na makakapag-uwi ng Miss Universe crown sa bansa.
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