Rabiya Occeña Mateo once mentioned that her name is an Arabic name that means “princess” and “queen”. And as fate would have it, she ended up embodying that very definition. The most beautiful day in the universe just ended, and the 69th Miss Universe winner was crowned. Yes, Filipinos are disappointed that the crown is not resting on Rabiya’s head right now, but we know she won in many other ways. Just being up on that stage and wowing the universe is already a win.
Here are 8 ways Rabiya Mateo proved she was our queen through and through, even without that crown.
She was part of the Top 21
We see you Philippines! Welcome to the Top 21! #MISSUNIVERSE
LIVE on @FYI from @hardrockholly in #HollywoodFL pic.twitter.com/i40aitwxLV
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) May 17, 2021
First things first, she made it. Out of 74 beautiful women, Rabiya got into the Top 21, a huge feat in and of itself and we’re extremely proud of her for it. Rabiya was also showered with compliments for her remarkable walk in that yellow swimsuit. She has proved, once again, that she is the sunshine we needed after months of gloominess.
Yes, Philippines! @EmaSavahl #MISSUNIVERSE
LIVE on @FYI from @hardrockholly in #HollywoodFL pic.twitter.com/Xi0SK0dvcq
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) May 17, 2021
She served us *fire* looks
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Being a Miss Universe candidate is the perfect mix of beauty and brains. Rabiya certainly has that. It was always exciting anticipating her next Instagram post. We knew she would be dropping another stunning outfit or photo shoot and she hasn’t failed to make our jaws collectively drop. She gave us golden Greek goddess fits, regal yellow gowns, and sultry leather dresses. If you haven’t seen her amazing outfits, you’re missing out on a lot.
She cried but she still held her head up high
She enjoyed every bit of the journey
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The Miss Universe pageant is not only a competition, it’s also a gathering of the brightest and most beautiful women in the world. It’s an experience of a lifetime and we’re glad to see that our queen Rabiya enjoyed every bit of it. We saw her laughing, making friends with other candidates, and even brushing off falling into a pool! You’re only 24 years old once and you only enter this kind of competition once, why not make the most out of it?
She gave it her best shot
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Being a Miss Universe candidate is more nerve-wracking than running for president. At least that’s what happens here in the Philippines. But Rabiya balanced the expectation and pressure well. She showed up, she smiled, she gave it her best shot. We knew she had to undergo rigorous training to be the well-rounded queen that she is today. She even mentioned that she bled through her stockings while carrying her heavy national costume. This girl certainly went through a lot. And we loved her every bit of the way because we knew she did her best.
Her advocacy doesn’t stop here
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Rabiya is more than our PH bet for Miss Universe, she is a woman with purpose and passion. She didn’t just join the competition to be recognized for her beautiful face and graceful figure, she also wanted a larger platform for her voice to be heard. During one of the introduction videos released by Miss Universe, Rabiya talks about her advocacy.
“Education is our social equalizer that regardless of what background you have, what status of your family, if you educate yourself, you will be able to land a great job,” she said. “We need nowadays is not just a beauty queen with a pretty face. But we need phenomenal women who are not afraid to speak and to stand for the things they believed in.”
You can trust that even if she didn’t win that crown, she will continue to be a voice for the importance of education everywhere.
She’s authentically herself
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The best part about Rabiya is she isn’t afraid to be herself. She’s kalog, she’s funny, she gets hyper-excited about things (and nervous too), but she’s 100% authentic. Rabiya is well aware that there are so many standards these days when it comes to being an ideal woman. On her Instagram post back in April, she said that she lives “in a cruel industry” and that she’s “always compared to different girls.” She knows certain people expect certain things from her but she doesn’t conform to these standards. For Rabiya, the superficial is, well, temporal. What’s more important is “the connection we make to people and how we want to celebrate ourselves.”
She ended that post with a simple but powerful sentence “Even in my simplest form, I know in my heart I am nothing less than phenomenal.”
You see, Rabiya Mateo didn’t have to win that crown to be a queen. Like millions of Pinays and other women out there, she was already a queen the moment she decided to love herself for who she is.
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