MANILA -- A homecoming event was held for Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo on Wednesday, more than a week after arriving from the United States.

Fresh out of her 10-day quarantine, the beauty queen thanked all those who have supported her Miss Universe journey.

"Finally, after three months of being in the US, I can say that I am finally home," she said during the event, which was also streamed live on the Miss Universe Philippines Facebook page.

"Being the representative during this time in which we still have a pandemic is never easy. But I realized na iba talaga kapag ang Pilipino ang sumuporta kaya nagpapasalamat po ako. And ngayon, tapos na tayo sa competition and marami pa rin pong opportunities 'yung papasok sa atin sa taon na ito," she added.

While she is not closing her doors on the idea of joining another competition, Mateo said she would like to take a break from pageantry and dip her toes into acting.

She also expressed willingness to share what she has learned as a beauty queen with those who wish to take a similar path.

When asked what she would have done differently during her Miss Universe stint, Mateo replied with a laugh: "I wish I just deactivated my social media."

"That is also the advice I would give to the next Miss Universe Philippines, because the pressure from the fans is something that is going to be a reflection of your performance. So sometimes it's better to block yourself and to maintain that inner peace," she explained.

"Social media is not the judge of the competition. The fans are not the judge," she stressed. "You need to focus on your physical training, on your question and answer portion, and the holistic approach. It's always about the performance that you had during that night."

Mateo finished in the Top 21 of the 69th Miss Universe in Florida last May.

Days before the coronation night, she went viral for her emotional outburst as some fans were "disappointed" with her performance during the national costume competition.

• Emotional Rabiya Mateo apologizes over performance in national costume competition

Addressing the next Miss Universe Philippines, Mateo said: "Be kind and humble, because people will forever remember you in the way that you treat them. So despite all the pressure from the fans, from social media, just be yourself and continue building up your character because you're going to shine and win a lot of hearts."

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