Rabiya Mateo finds ‘closure’ after reconnecting with dad

Rabiya Mateo and her father. Image: Instagram/@rabiyamateo

Rabiya Mateo underscored that while her reconnection with her father did not turn out the way she wanted it to be, she regarded it as the “closure [she] needed.”

The actress-beauty queen had opened up about her United States-based Indian dad in several interviews before, saying he left her and her mother when Mateo was just 5 years old. Rabiya had been vocal about her hopes of flying to the US and meeting with him.

In a “24 Oras” interview on Thursday, April 24, Mateo said she was able to reconnect with her dad during her recent two-month vacation in the US.

However, the actress, without expounding on the details, said it did not turn out the way she expected it to be.

“Matagal ko na talagang plano, matagal ko nang hinihingi sa GMA ‘yung bakasyon na ‘to because I wanted to be connected with my dad. And nangyari naman siya pero hindi lang sa resultang ine-expect ko or gusto ko,” she said.

“But.. it’s the closure that I needed,” she added.

Despite this, Mateo stressed that she is keeping her doors open for her dad and her half-siblings.

“At least I was able to know na may kapatid ako sa kaniya, may dalawa akong kapatid and may totoong tatay ako,” she further noted. “And I’m happy that he’s okay. ‘Yun ‘yung importante do’n.”

Prior to this, an unnamed source told Philippine Entertainment Portal last March that Mateo apparently received harsh words from her dad, who is a doctor, after she was able to reach him through phone call.

Her dad allegedly said he did not care about the actress and that he wanted nothing to do with her.

Mateo did not immediately comment on this.