Apart from height, Rabiya Mateo hopes women of any weight can join Miss Universe Philippines

With the Miss Universe Philippines season already starting, Rabiya Mateo hopes women of any weight can also join the pageant comfortably after the height requirement was lifted.

Though no specific weight was mentioned in the pageant’s qualifications, she and fellow beauty queens MJ Lastimosa and Michelle Dee admitted that there is a norm for candidates’ sizes.

The Miss Universe Philippines 2020 titleholder said it should also be time for pageants to open up more for each and every one.

“‘Yon yung tinatawag nilang real beauty. Next time, different molds naman yung makikita natin kasi beauty has no form, it has no size. Sana dito sa Philippines, onti-onti, makita natin,” she said.

“It’s a beautiful message especially sa young ones na anybody can be Miss Universe,” she continued.

Michelle and MJ, meanwhile, added that anyone can be a beauty queen. In being one, they said, the only thing that matters is what they believe in and what their stands are.

The Miss Universe Philippines lifted its height requirement last year.

Screenings for this year’s queens have started. A new Miss Universe Philippines will be crowned in April. — LA, GMA News