Rabiya Mateo says resiliency is ‘overused’: ‘Where are the tangible programs?’

Image: Instagram/@rabiyamateo

Rabiya Mateo has urged for concrete solutions to help Filipinos amid calamities instead of simply relying on their resiliency.

The Miss Universe Philippines 2020 titleholder gave her take on Filipinos’ ability to handle issues during an interview on the TV show “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” which was posted on its Facebook page last Sunday, Nov. 15.

“Iyong resiliency, parang overused siya (I feel that the term resiliency is overused), to the point that sometimes we don’t look at the problems to find the solution,” Mateo said.

“And we just tell other people na (that) all we need to do is have a positive mindset and we’re going to overcome this,” she added. “But where are the tangible programs to help the people being affected by such situations?”

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While she agreed that having a positive outlook is helpful, she stressed that there is still a need for tangible and visible solutions.

“Hindi tayo mag-lelearn, hindi natin mapapabuti iyong community natin if puro resiliency na lang,” the beauty queen stated.

(We will not learn, we will not improve our community if we just rely on resiliency.)

Mateo also looked back on how 2013’s Super Typhoon Yolanda ravaged her hometown of Balasa in Iloilo and other parts of Visayas. She explained that the calamity destroyed her family’s bahay kubo, which led them to beg for help and food on the streets.

“Kaya sabi ko nga ngayon na may Bagyong Rolly at tsaka Ulysses, ramdam na ramdam ko talaga iyong paghihirap ng mga kababayan natin,” she said.

(That is why now that Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses happened, I really feel the hardships our countrymen are facing.)

Prior to her interview, Mateo launched a donation drive for those affected by the typhoons and floods on her 24th birthday on Nov. 14. NVG

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