Newly signed Kapuso artist Rabiya Mateo, on Thursday, November 18, shared that even before competing for the 2020 Miss Universe, things were not looking good between her and her ex-boyfriend Niel Salvacion.
“To be honest po kasi, it wasn’t okay na talaga,” admitted Mateo during her virtual media conference after signing a contract with GMA Network.
Mateo continued that the two of them had agreed to hide the status of their relationship to avoid any controversies that could affect her.
“But because I was competing, we tried to conceal it as much as we can. Kasi I don’t want na puputok yung issue na hindi na kami before I compete. It’s like gonna be a big headache on our sides. Pero after po kasi, it was a mutual understanding na, ‘Okay unti-untiin na din natin yung mga fans.'”
She also confessed that Salvacion was “pressured” to show support for her, which she didn’t want, thus agreeing that they would keep their separation a secret until the pageant’s end.
“Kasi during the competition, he was being pressured to post something about me, bakit hindi daw siya nagpo-post, wala na ba kami? So I don’t want him to feel that kind of pressure. Kasi mahalaga din po siya sa akin. Hindi din po basta-basta ang pinagdaanan namin.”
The former beauty queen was also certain that her ex-boyfriend was happy with his own life right now, clarifying that there would be no getting back together.
“But now, I know he’s happy, I’m happy, and we’ll never know. I’m not saying baka ma-quote na naman ako dito na we’re gonna be together pero happy ako kung saan kami ngayon.”
Mateo also gave her reaction to the issue involving her and Salvacion, claiming that the breakup was because of her status as a beauty queen.
According to her, Salvacion already apologized for what happened.
She will also continue giving her support to Salvacion as a friend, recalling when her ex-boyfriend lost his mom.
“Pero he just lost his mom, three weeks ago. So dinamayan ko din po siya. That’s why kahit sabihin pa ng mga tao, kung anu-ano pa ang ibato about the both of us, alam ko na he’s my bestfriend. And hindi din madali yung seven years na pinagsamahan namin. And if he needs me, I’m gonna be there as a friend po.”
Currently, Mateo is single but said she was not dating anybody as of this moment. Furthermore, she stressed that being unattached gave her some “relief.”
“It’s just parang I feel yung relief na I am being able to live my life according to what I want. Kasi solo po ako ngayon sa Manila. Ako yung nagluluto ng sarili ko, ako bahala sa sarili ko, and doon ka talaga mag-grow as a person,” she pointed.
But if she entered into a new relationship, Mateo hoped that she would have a non-showbiz boyfriend that she could keep from the public.
“Siguro hindi ko naman po hinahanap ang pag-ibig and I learned my lesson from what happened in the past, yung issues in the past. Siguro if magbo-boyfriend ako, hindi natin masasabi, siguro sana non-showbiz tapos itatago ko na lang po. Kasi hindi made-destroy ng public ang mga bagay na hindi nila alam,” she noted.
