Rabiya Mateo recalls Yolanda experience: ‘Resilience is overused, where are the programs to help people?'

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo recalls the time when Supertyphoon Yolanda struck their hometown in Iloilo as her life’s worst challenge.

“Natamaan talaga ’yung buong town ko, ’yung Balasan, Iloilo. Mahirap siya kasi nakita ko ’yung mama ko, umiiyak kasi ’yung bahay kubo namin … Nakikita ko siya umiiyak, sabi niya, ‘anak ’yung bahay natin’!” she said in a “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” episode on Sunday.

("My whole town in Balasan, Iloilo was badly hit. It was difficult that time; I saw my mother cry because our hut … I saw her crying.)

“Tapos naalala ko kami, kasama ng mga kapitbahay, nagsulat kami sa kalsada, that we need help, that we need food,” she added.

("I remember that we, with our neighbors, we wrote on the street that we need help, we need food.")

That’s why, the beauty queen shared, she felt the despair of the victims of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

“I know it’s never easy to be in that position. Mawalan ng bahay, mawalan ng gamit, minsan mawawalan ng loved one,” Rabiya said.

("To lose a home, to lose things, and sometimes to lose loved ones.")

“Feeling ko po kasi ’yung ‘resiliency’ parang overused siya to the point na sometimes we don’t look at the problems to find the solution,” she said.

("I feel like ‘resiliency’ is overused to the point where sometimes we don’t look at the problems to find the solution.")

“And we just tell other people that all we need to do is have a positive mindset and we’re gonna overcome this. But where are the tangible programs, the possible projects to help the people be affected by such situation?” she added.

“Like especially nung pandemic, so yes iba pag may positive outlook, but again kailangan natin magkaroon ng tangible and visible solution kasi hindi tayo magle-learn, hindi natin mapapabuti ’yung community natin if puro ‘resiliency’ na lang.”

("Like especially during the pandemic, so yes, it’s different if we have a positive outlook, but again we need to have tangible and visible solution because we won’t learn, we won’t make our community better if we’re just going to say ‘resiliency’.") – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News