"Honestly, there's so much pressure to maintain my face and body as a celebrity," GMA Sparkle Artist Rabiya Mateo said in an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) during her launch as the latest ambassador of Royal Aesthetics Clinic.
"Hindi natin maiiwasan, because of years and age... nandun talaga yung normal wear and tear of the body," she continued, "So ako, personally, I'm also having a lot of struggles. Kasi alam naman natin na to be in the public's eye, hindi biro."
This is why Rabiya makes an extra effort to always look good whenever she's out in public, acknowledging that looking all glammed and dolled-up does take some effort. "It's a lie if sasabihin ko na ang pagiging maganda ay effortless... na gumising ako to be like this," she explained, "It takes a village for me to look like this."
Rabiya Mateo Opens Up About Bashers Criticizing Her Looks
But even someone as beautiful as the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 winner still faces criticism for her looks. "Yung expectation palagi ng tao is that yung Rabiyang nakita nila sa Miss Universe is yung Rabiya na makikita nila up until now," she opened up.
"When I do gain weight, ang dami na agad nagsasabi na, 'Ah, lumaki siya, baka buntis siya,' may kuwento na agad sa head nila," Rabiya shared, recalling a time when she gained weight, and people immediately started speculating that she was pregnant.
Experience has taught Rabiya how to filter out the constructive ones from the outright bashing. "Honestly, may mga days din ako pag may nababasa akong comments na, parang, 'Masakit to, ah,'" she revealed. "Tapos I would look in the mirror and I would say, 'Tama ba yung sinabi nila about me?'"
While some unsolicited comments get to her and make her question her confidence, she reveals that she now bounces back from it easier. "At least ngayon, mas mabilis ako mag-bounce back. Kung minsan, days siya na iniisip ko, ngayon mga two minutes lang, tapos okay na ako," she said lightheartedly.
Proud to have built her confidence over the years, Rabiya is grateful to have a team that helps maintain her physical appearance. "There are days when I wake up in the morning, I look in the mirror and I would say, 'Wow, I look good today." The day of her launch as brand ambassador was one of those days, citing that getting a facial gives her a confidence boost. "Kasi iba po talaga yung glow ng skin after pag in-apply yung serum with dermal clear treatment as well. It's a facial kung saan ine-extract yung mga whiteheads natin," she explained. "Kahit wala akong make-up at all, I can really see my skin that is very healthy, that is glowing."
Why It's Okay to Invest in Aesthetic Treatments, According to Rabiya Mateo
According to Rabiya, beauty treatments or enhancements are indeed confidence boosters and should not be frowned upon—even for beauty queens. "Beauty is for everybody. Wag tayo maglagay ng restrictions since we're living in a free country," she urged. "I know a lot would say na, na ako, mas maganda pa rin yung natural, mas maganda pa rin yung ganito. But let people decide for themselves."
Seeing aesthetic treatments as a form of self-care, she pointed out, "At walang masama kung yung mga treatments na ito would make somebody confident, di ba?" Rabiya also mentioned that undergoing enhancements or beauty treatments is not about vanity, as some might think, but rather about tending to your well-being. "Parang it's actually a blessing from science to help people build up their character and confidence in beauty."
Rabiya encouraged Filipinos who have the means to invest in experiences that bring out their confidence—and yes, sometimes feeling good starts with looking good.
"So alam ko po, we live in a developing country at maraming tumataas ang kilay because they just think that this is for pure vanity. But there's a lot of individuals, hindi lang babae but also men who want to look at their best. So yun po yung market namin, di ba, sa Royal Aesthetics—people who want to bring out the best confidence and reach their maximum potential in life."
"I also come from humble beginnings," she shared. "And honestly, when you have nothing in life, unahin mo talaga yung necessity, like food, shelter, to survive day-to-day. However, we also encourage people na if you have the budget to do so, to invest in the right things, to bring out the best in you."
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