Rabiya Mateo’s depression disclosure goes viral after online backlash
ILOILO CITY — What began as a casual Facebook query asking for food recommendations in Iloilo quickly escalated into a nationwide conversation on bullying and mental health after Rabiya Mateo revealed that she has been battling major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
The issue went viral after Mateo, Miss Universe Philippines in 2020, posted, “Iloilo na! Where to eat?” — a seemingly harmless question that drew not only suggestions but also harsh and mocking comments from some netizens. The backlash prompted a series of emotionally charged posts from the Ilongga beauty queen, in which she called out online bullying and urged the public to be more mindful of their words.
In one post written in Hiligaynon, Mateo expressed exhaustion and frustration, saying she had been keeping her feelings to herself for a long time and asking critics to stop.
“Dugay nako gahipos. Permi na lang guid kamo ya (I have been keeping silent. You’re always at it),” she wrote, adding that she has always been proud to represent Iloilo and has done her best for the city.
The situation intensified when Mateo publicly disclosed that she was diagnosed in 2025 with major depressive disorder with anxious distress, a condition she said she had planned to keep private after years of silently battling it.
READ: Rabiya Mateo reveals she was diagnosed with depression, anxiety last year
“Every day was a struggle to survive. I almost deactivated everything and disappeared to have a quiet and peaceful life. I fought hard and I’m still fighting up until now,” Mateo wrote in English. “You don’t know how little kindness means to a depressed person like me and how your words can push me to do something else.”
To underscore her point, Mateo shared a medical certificate from her psychiatrist confirming the diagnosis and recommending a leave of absence to allow her symptoms to stabilize and ensure recovery.
In another post, she recalled the 2025 kindness campaign that followed the death of Emman Atienza, lamenting what she described as hypocrisy among some social media users. “Remember when we lost Emman Atienza? Many of you posted about spreading kindness and love. But you are also the first to bully others. Your words can kill. Please remember that,” she wrote.
Mateo stressed that bullying causes deeper harm than many people realize.
“Years of battling it every day. Years of trying to keep myself together. Bullying needs to stop now. It causes harm more than you ever know,” she said
The former Miss Universe Philippines, who hails from Balasan, Iloilo, is currently in the city and was one of the judges at the Miss Iloilo 2026 grand coronation night on Jan. 17.
Her candid posts have since drawn widespread reactions online, with many netizens expressing support and calling for greater empathy, while mental health advocates renewed appeals for responsible online behavior and kindness in digital spaces. /das
