Rita Gaviola aka Badjao Girl defends herself after speaking out against bashers
RITA GAVIOLA – The former Pinoy Big Brother housemate who gained fame as the Badjao Girl defended herself after speaking out against bashers.
Rita expressed gratitude for the concern shown regarding their live selling but expressed a reluctance to speak further about the issue due to the nature of the criticism being unfair. She proudly identifies herself as a ‘Badjao native’. Rita labels the criticism as “crab mentality” – a negative behavior of pulling down someone perceived as rising above others – insinuating that they are being unfairly judged for being a native.
“I appreciate sa lahat ng concern about my live selling Ayoko na sana magsalita kaso below the belt and I’m proud to say na yes I’m ’Badjao native’ so what’s wrong dahil tagalog kayo myy god crab mentality dahil lang sa native ako sasabihan ako ng bumalik sa panlilimos and so what if bumalik ako sa part na yon ang mahirap is kayo ang makaranas ng hindi niyo naranasan baka hindi niyo Kayanin,” she noted.
Rita Gaviola gained fame after being a part of Pinoy Big Brother 7. She was only 13 when her family moved from Zamboanga to Lucena City in Quezon. She assists her mother with household chores when she’s free from school. Rita also goes out to beg when she’s not occupied.
However, her life changed when Topher Quinto Burgo candidly photographed her during the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon. Her photo quickly went viral, propelling her to enter the well-known reality show. Rita is the first-ever housemate in the history of Pinoy Big Brother which belongs to an Indigenous Group.
She belongs to the Badjao people, one of the most discriminated and displaced ethnic groups in Southeast Asia historically and presently. Nevertheless, her entry into the house, with the help of Big Brother, provided viewers a deeper and more positive perspective on the Badjao community in the country. In August this year, Rita Gaviola and her non-showbiz partner introduced their baby girl named Kiana.
Related Post: Rita Gaviola aka Badjao Girl Cries After Being Insulted During a Live Selling
