GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Rabiya Mateo recalls hardships while studying: 'I only had 5 pesos as my baon'
Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo has never been shy about opening up on her hardships while growing up poor.
In fact, the beauty queen uses her voice and her new platform to inspire others to hold on to their dreams and value what they have.
On Instagram, Monday, Rabiya once again shared her own story while performing her duties as Ambassador for Education.
"When I was in elementary, I did not have much. I remember, I only had 5 pesos as my baon back then. I only had 2 notebooks for my 8 subjects. I used the same shoes from grade 4-6," she said.
"I had no laptop, no internet access, and there were moments I even needed to go to my classmate’s house to borrow crayons and materials," she continued.
Despite these struggles, the beauty queen said that she was still happy to study and do her school work.
Now that she has found success, she wants to fulfill her promise of giving back to others currently facing difficulties while pursuing their studies.
"As your Ambassador for Education, my goal is to go to different schools all over the country and offer any help we can give," she said.
Rabiya delivered over 150 pairs of slippers and educational materials to Zaragosa Integrated School in Badian Island, a province two to three hours away from Cebu City.
"I want to share my story to those children who are experiencing the same hardships. I want to inspire and motivate them to achieve greater things in their lives," she said.
Rabiya, a licensed physical therapist and lecturer, was crowned as the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 in October. —Kaela Malig/MGP, GMA News
