Personal daw na nakipag-ugnayan si Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray kay Rabiya Mateo upang batiin ang huli sa pagkapanalo nito bilang Miss Universe Philippines 2020.
Kinoronahan si Rabiya sa national pageant na ginanap sa Baguio City at inere noong October 25, Sabado.
Sa panayam niya sa ANC cable news program na Headstart nitong Miyerkules, October 28, tinanong ng anchor na si Karen Davila si Catriona kung ano ang mensahe niya kay Rabiya, na idinadawit sa mga kontrobersiya sa katatapos lang na national pageant.
Tugon ng former Miss Universe, “I’ve actually already personally reached out to Rabiya.
“But I just try to comfort her to know that, at the Miss Philippines, there is always people who would talk about you… give positive and negative."
Paalala pa ni Catriona kay Rabiya, gamitin nito ang mga batikos sa kanya para mas maging matibay.
“It really comes with the territory of being a Philippine queen.
"But she [Rabiya] has an amazing opportunity, considering what her back has really gone through to be able to perform at the level that they have, and what the country is still going through during this pandemic.
“So, she has an amazing opportunity to really rise above the hate and rise above the criticisms.
“And really show people how a queen can positively impact a community as such a time as this.”
CATRIONA GIVES HER TWO CENTS ABOUT CHEATING IN PAGEANTS
Inusisa rin si Catriona kung ano ang pananaw niya sa diumano’y dayaan sa beauty pageants.
Saad niya, “Honestly, there is always the judging score process, but there’s also the treatment of the candidates.
“It’s hard for me to speak specifically what the actual judging system was at the recently concluded Miss Universe Philippines pageant, since it’s a new pageant and I’m not privy to that information.”
Pero diin ni Catriona, importanteng matiyak na pantay-pantay ang treatment sa lahat kandidata.
“As a contestant, and I’ve competed twice internationally and twice nationally, it’s important that contestants are treated the same.
“They’re given the same conditions, the same resources at the pageant.
“And also, that the judging panel is properly briefed and it’s really all about equal footing.
“Because our candidates or any candidate really prepares to be there at the competition.
“And once they’re there, it’s [the] hope that they be given equal opportunity each to excel in their own right.”
Sa katatapos lang na Miss Universe Philippines 2020, may mga akusasyong nagkaroon umano ng dayaan.
May netizens na nag-akusang alam na raw ni Rabiya ang mga tanong bago siya sumalang sa question-and-answer portion.
May mga paratang ding may mga kandidata—kabilang umano si Rabiya—na may bitbit daw na glam team kahit na mahigpit itong ipinagbabawal.
Hindi rin nakatulong ang sunud-sunod na posts ng kandidatang si Sandra Lemonon na may pahaging na may nangyaring dayaan sa pageant.
Nagkataon namang malapit na kaibigan ni Catriona si Sandra. Batchmates din sila sa Binibining Pilipinas 2018 pageant.
Ipinagtanggol ni Rabiya ang sarili mula sa mga akusasyon. Itinanggi niyang alam niya ang mga tanong sa Q&A portion.
Iginiit din ng members ng MUP Organization na naging patas sila. May mga kandidata ring ipinagtanggol si Rabiya at itinangging nandaya ito.
Si Catriona ay dalawang beses sumali sa national pageant, kung saan pareho siyang nanalo—sa Miss World Philippines 2016 at Binibining Pilipinas 2018.
Nakapasok siya sa Top 12 ng Miss World 2016 pageant at itinanghal na Miss Universe noong 2018.
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