Moving from Miami

 Rabiya and team await for MU registration day in Hollywood

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo has left Miami for Hollywood in Florida, venue of the 69th edition of the annual Miss Universe pageant. The Regalados, with whom the entire Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) team was staying, prepared a simple, no frills send-off party prior to Rabiya's departure for Fort Lauderdale - a ten minute ride to Seminole Hardrock Casino Guitar Hotel. She even gets to be serenaded by Michael John Regalado with a beautiful rendition of Bruno Mars' hit song "Just The Way You Are."

Rabiya, and her MUP team, are now settled in their official hotel, until she registers with the other candidates on May 6. Meanwhile, the MUP organization has released online a Web series entitled "Following Rabiya Mateo's Journey."

Episode 1, simply dubbed "Manila," features a two-day shoot with ace lensmen Seven Barretto and Jerick Sanchez. The video shows Rabiya in a black leather bikini channeling a Bond girl vibe, in another glitzy swimwear inspired by the Victoria Secret Angels, in a bejeweled creation by designer Rian Fernandez, and in a Mara Chua Athena-inspired glamazon outfit that has been previously published.

The video went on to show her runway training. "I have my training with two of the best coaches - Louie and Jonas - when it comes to pasarela and catwalk. Earlier, I had these movements from side to side which resulted to the improvement of my hips when I walked. Sometimes, what happens is that I have to move my shoulders a lot. So there has to be isolation between shoulders and hips so that only one is moving at a given time.

"Actually, I have a background in Tahitian dancing that I thought was enough but was not. It was quite hard to move one part of the body, without moving the others, like just the hips and not the shoulders. But it was also core training," shared Rabiya.

"I walked back and forth a clue of times because Sir Jonas was looking at the way I walked. He was not giving any changes yet. He was trying to find out what was wrong with my walk. And from that, I was able to change it because he pointed out why ('because your feet are like this') - so you move your knees this way. Then Sir Jonas has instructions where to put my arms, whether higher or lower, on my waist. These are tips that will show my aura.

"It's not the walk that makes you win, it's the aura because it gives the people the idea that this candidate is confident," she added.

The MUP organization will soon share the next episode in the Web series. Dubbed, "Rabiya in California," the video will show our representative's Manila departure, arrival in mainland USA, her pre-pageant activity at the O Skincare Spa, with pageant sponsor Olivia Quido-Co, and her swimsuit shoot in Miss O's opulent home.