Marian Rivera. Image: Instagram/@marianrivera
Marian Rivera stood up for herself after her credentials as a judge in the upcoming Miss Universe 2021 pageant was questioned by critics.
The actress addressed the said criticisms against her in an interview she showed on her Facebook page yesterday, Dec. 4. Her stint as a Miss Universe judge was doubted by netizens because she supposedly “does not speak English very well.”
“Aaminin ko na hindi naman talaga English ang first language ko kung hindi Filipino at kinuha pa rin nila ako siguro hindi lang dahil doon, kung hindi dahil sa aking body of work bilang isang Filipina,” she said. “Basta ang masasabi ko lang, hindi naman ako mapagpanggap. I-e-express ko ang sarili ko na naaayon sa nararamdaman ko sa araw na ‘yon.”
(I will admit that English is not my first language but Filipino, and yet they still chose me, maybe not just because of that, but also because of my body of work as a Filipina. I can just say I’m not a pretentious person. I’ll express myself based on how I feel on that day.)
Rivera added that being part of the Miss Universe selection committee is a good opportunity she would not want to miss.
“Minsan lang ‘to dumating eh, so bakit di ko siya tatanggapin? Para sa ‘kin, isang malaking karangalan ito,” she pointed out. “Kung tatanungin mo ako kung mahirap para sa akin na iwan ang mga anak ko, of course, mahirap pero naniniwala ako, balang-araw, maiintindihan nila itong sakripisyong gagawin ko.”
(This does not come often, so why wouldn’t I accept it? For me, this is a great honor. If you ask me if it would be difficult for me to leave my kids behind, of course, it would be hard but I believe, someday, they would understand this sacrifice I’m doing.)
Rivera’s fans also came to her defense on Twitter, calling out her critics for being “elitist.”
“Marian Rivera has substance when she speaks especially when she expressed it in our local language. You are just too elitist and a snob to notice it because it is not in English,” one @merrychris4ever said.
marian rivera has substance when she speaks especially when she expressed it in our local language. you are just too elitist and a snob to notice it because it is not in english. yet you did not complain when manny pacquiao judge miss universe in 2015. pic.twitter.com/xkQ3wVz3PC
— BMR58 (@merrychris4ever) December 5, 2021
“[Ang daming] sinasabi ng mga Pinoy kesyo di daw matalino si Marian Rivera, di daw magaling mag-English etc. (Filipinos say a lot of things, that Marian Rivera is not smart, does not speak English very well, etc.),” another @luithcrewthe meanwhile lamented.
The netizen then pointed out that aside from being an actress, Rivera is also a goodwill ambassador for Smile Train, an organization that is supported by the Miss Universe Organization.
andaming sinasabi ng mga Pinoy kesho di daw matalino si Marian Rivera, Di daw magaling mag english etc.
Aside from being an empowered woman & a known actress etc. She’s a Smile Train GoodWill Ambassador, NGO na tinutulungan ng MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION.https://t.co/1DbeqmipVG
— Luis (@luithcrewthe) December 1, 2021
Rivera’s upcoming stint as a Miss Universe judge was confirmed by the actress last Friday, Dec. 3.
However, speculations about it started last Thursday, Dec. 2, when she said via Instagram that she was “honored,” along with a crown and universe emoji. Her husband Dingdong Dantes also teased her being a judge by telling the actress “Miss u.”
Rivera is not the first Filipino to take on the role of Miss Universe judge. Most recently, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach was chosen as a judge in 2017, while Broadway star Lea Salonga was part of the panel of judges in Miss Universe 2011.
The 70th Miss Universe pageant will be held in Israel on Dec. 12 (Israel time). The Philippines’ delegate to the pageant, Beatrice Luigi Gomez, arrived in Israel last Nov. 28. JB
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