ILOILO CITY – Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Occeña Mateo has called out fellow Ilonggos after her Friday homecoming was criticized by online bashers.
“I am always proud to be an Ilongga,” said Mateo, who hails from the northern Iloilo town of Balasan and represented Iloilo City in Miss Universe.
“Gin ubra ko guid best ko to represent syudad ta. Pero daw sobra2 naman ni baba sang iban nga tawo. Dugay nako gahipos. Permi nalang guid kamo ya (I did my best to represent Iloilo, but the bad mouths of these people are too much. I have been silent, but you do not stop),” said Mateo in one of her series of Facebook posts on Friday, Jan. 16.
Mateo is currently in Iloilo as she is one of the five judges in the grand coronation night of Miss Iloilo on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Criticisms started when she posted: “Iloilo na! Where to eat?”
Many fellow Ilonggos had a genuine response but several attacked her endlessly and had cruel comments, including those who bashed her body enhancements.
Mateo responded with a series of emotional posts that led to her publicly disclose that she had been diagnosed with depression.
Many Ilonggos backed Mateo and pointed out she represented Iloilo and the country.
They encouraged the beauty queen and actress not to mind bashers.