Rabiya Mateo ‘not closing any door’ on joining Miss World after Miss Universe run
Rabiya Mateo may have lost the Miss Universe pageant, but that doesn't mean her beauty pageant days have to end.
Following her Top 21 finish at the 69th Miss Universe pageant earlier this month, fans of Rabiya were already clamoring for the 24-year-old beauty queen from Iloilo City to return to the pageant scene.
A number of netizens said Rabiya should join the Miss World Philippines pageant in order to represent the Philippines in the pageant.
Rabiya Mateo for Miss World or Miss International ???
— ???????? (@carlowww_) May 18, 2021
Oks lang po, bawi na lang sa miss world, pweds pa naman po divvaaaa
— Mecaella (@iammecaella) May 17, 2021
In her interview with Boy Abunda on Sunday, May 30, Rabiya said she is aware that some pageant fans want her to join Miss World Philippines after she lost at the Miss Universe.
"I've been reading a lot of comments. I remember after I lost, nag-trending agad 'yung 'Rabiya for the World'," she said.
Rabiya joked that it's too soon to think about joining another beauty pageant. "I was making jokes na, 'Hindi pa nga okay 'yung paltos ko sa paa, gusto niyo na naman akong sumali!'," she quipped.
But when asked about her thoughts on joining Miss World, she said: "Let's give it, like, two years siguro. Let's see, I'm not closing any door. Who knows?"
Rabiya was a pageant newcomer when she joined Miss Universe Philippines, the pageant being her first time to join a national beauty tilt.
If Rabiya indeed decides to join another beauty competition, she can do so next year, after she passes on the Miss Universe Philippines crown to her successor.
Catriona Gray famously joined the Miss World pageant in 2016 first before joining and winning the Miss Universe pageant in 2018.
Banner photo from the Miss Universe Organization/Benjamin Askinas