Simple, beautiful, and with a heart of gold, "Badjao Girl" hopes to become a teacher someday and help other children who are living in poverty, starting with her very own siblings.
"Kaya ko po gustong maging guro, gusto ko pong matulungan ang tulad ng mga kapatid kong bata. Gusto ko rin po sila maipag-aral. At sabi sakin ng tatay ko, gusto niya kong mapag-aral. Kasi kami na lang po ang pag-asa naming magkakapatid," she said in an interview with Lia Manalac del Castillo on 24 Oras.
("That is why I want to be a teacher. I want to help others like my younger siblings. I want to send them to school. And my father told me, he wants me to study. Because we are the only hope our siblings have left.")
The "Badjao Girl", who has since been identified as Rita Gabriola, 13, and a Grade 6 student, shot to fame when photos of her bagging for alms on the street surfaced online.
The photos of her were taken by and posted by Topher Quinto during the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon. In the photos, Rita's natural Pinay beauty shines through despite her dingy clothes and disheveled appearance. In one of the photos, Rita can be seen carrying a toddler, presumably her sibling, on a blanket wrapped around her shoulder to create a makeshift baby sling.
Her beauty even caught the eye of incoming president Rodrigo Duterte. Also an online heartthrob, Sebastian Duterte could not help but admire her beauty. "You may be curious as to my type of girl," Sebastian said in his native tongue.
"Masaya lang po ako at nagpapasalamat ako kay Kuya Topher, ako po ang napili niya. Kaya sobra-sobrang pasasalamat ko sa kanya," she also told GMA News.
("I am happy and I am grateful to Sir Topher that he chose me. That's why I'm so grateful to him.")
Rita, who comes from a remote town in Quezon, does not know how to use the internet and was thus unaware of her sudden fame.
"Hindi po ako marunong mag-internet, pinakita lang sakin sa cellphone. Pinagsabihan nila ako na, uy si Rita, artista na. Ganyan lang po sinasabi nila," she said.
("I do not know how to use the internet. I was just shown on a cellphone. They just told me,'Rita is a star.'")
Rita hopes that her newfound fame will pave the way to a better life for her and her family.
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