By Joseph B.A. Marzan and Sean Rafio
“I feel that a phenomenal woman is red, because red is power, and I am red.”
This was what Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) Rabiya Occeña Mateo answered when asked what color describes a phenomenal woman during her preliminary interview.
Iloilo City’s rep to the pageant was revealed to have bagged the crown during its premiere telecast on Oct. 25, 2020.
The 24-year-old Filipino-Indian, who originally hails from Balasan, Iloilo, bested 45 other candidates to represent the Philippines to the 69th Miss Universe pageant.
She was crowned by last year’s titleholder, Gazini Ganados of Bohol.
Originally slated to be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 3, the pageant was rescheduled and relocated due to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The uncertainty of COVID-19 has also left the schedule of the 2020 edition of the international pageant in question, with other countries still to crown their representatives.
The coronation of Mateo was kept under wraps since shooting the ceremony, which finished on the wee hours of Oct. 24.
The MUP’s organizers shot multiple crowning scenarios with various candidates, which were leaked to social media on Saturday.
Mateo described herself as a “symbol of light” and as a “carrier of hope” during the final question, where all top five candidates were asked about where beauty pageants stand amidst the crisis caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“As a candidate, I know I’m not just the face of Iloilo City, but I am here, carrying hope, and as a symbol of light in the darkest times. And as of the moment, I want to help my community. I want to use my strength to make an impact. And that is the essence of beauty pageants. It gives us the power to make a difference,” Mateo answered in the final question.
The prior question in the final round, she was asked which Filipino she would have if she could create a new currency.
Her answer was the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whom she called “the best president the Philippines never had”.
“I want to use the face of Miriam Defensor-Santiago. She used her knowledge, her voice to serve the country. And I want to be somebody like her. Somebody who puts her heart, her passion into action. And after all, she is the best president we never had,” she said in the first part of the final question and answer round.
Rounding out the top five were first runner-up Ysabelle Ysmael from Parañaque City, second runner-up Michele Gumabao from Quezon City, third runner-up Pauline Amelinckx from Bohol, and fourth runner-up Kimberly Hakenson from Cavite.
Mateo also won the Best in Swimsuit major award.
After she was announced as part of the Top 16, she shared her advocacy in the field of education, saying she wants people to achieve greater things through her.
She graduated with cum laude honors in her Bachelor’s degree in Science, majoring in Physical Therapy, at the Iloilo Doctor’s College.
Prior to joining Miss Iloilo earlier this year, she had been working as a lecturer in Manila.
Her program, titled “Feed Me and I Read You,” helps children in the dumpsites of the city to become better in reading.
“First of all, I need to stick to my core, which is being passionate about educating people. I am a lecturer, and I’ve been pursuing this because this education had helped me to have that comfortable life that I and my family deserve, and I wanna push people. I want them to achieve greater things in life through me. And I know, with Miss Universe, anything is possible, because I am a phenomenal woman with a heartfelt beauty,” she said about her advocacy.
During the preliminary interviews, she said that being Miss Universe will help her further her advocacy program.
“We need a lot of learning materials, and I feel like, being a Miss Universe, I will be able to pull donors into our project to make it foster even better,” she said during the preliminary interviews.
During the preliminary and final evening gown competitions, she stunned with dresses made by noted Ilonggo designer Jun-G Candelario.
Rabiya’s gowns were quintessential pageant gowns. Both of her gowns had capes on them that gave just enough drama to spice up her elegant walk. The beadwork and floral appliqués showed how much time and effort Candelario spent while making the gowns.
Daily Guardian has reached out to Candelario for a better inside look on the gowns, but has yet to respond.
Mateo also said during the preliminary interview that she wanted to bring to the national and local stage Iloilo’s very own indigenous fabric, hablon, saying she “doesn’t just wear Iloilo”, but also “wears Philippines”.
The Ilongga is the first to win the crown in the newly-minted event, which was organized by the MUP Organization headed by Miss Universe 2011 3rd runner-up Shamcey Supsup-Lee.
Previous titleholders were selected through the annual Binibining Pilipinas event, which has crowned the representatives for 55 years since 1964.
Four Filipinas have already won the prestigious event, Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), and Catriona Elisa Gray (2018).
The Philippines has also enjoyed Top 20 finishes from 2010 to 2019.
REACTIONS
Shortly after her win, multiple personalities released statements of congratulation and support for Mateo.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas expressed his pride through a statement posted on his Facebook page.
“I warmly congratulate Rabiya Mateo, our Miss Iloilo 2020, as newly-crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2020. The Ilonggo community is truly proud of her achievement. She is an epitome that Iloilo City can truly level-up and rise above challenges during these times. She is indeed a phenomenal woman with heartfelt beauty. We wish her luck in her next journey. Rest assured Iloilo City and its people will be behind her all the way,” the mayor said on his Facebook page.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, whose family roots hail from Panay, also congratulated Mateo through Twitter.
Hontiveros made reference to one of Mateo’s answers during the preliminary interview, “Basta Ilongga, gwapa”.
“Basta Ilongga, alam kag gwapa! Congratulations gid sa Ms. Iloilo for winning #MissUniversePhilippines2020! Sigurado ko nga mas damo ka pa gid mabuligan kag ma-inspire nga tawo,” the senator said in her tweet.
Previous MUPs, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Miss Universe Philippines 2014 Mary Jean Lastimosa also tweeted to congratulate Mateo.
“Congratulations to our new queen Rabiya!!! Welcome to the sisterhood! Excited to witness your journey!” Gray tweeted
“Wala akong photo of the winner haha! But congratulations Miss Rabiya of Iloilo you did a wonderful job. We will be supporting you in the @MissUniverse stage as you raise our Flag of Philippines #MissUniversePhilippines,” said Lastimosa in her tweet.
