2020 Miss Universe Philippines Rabiya Mateo shared her very out of the box business plan to start a Funeral Parlor business in her native province of Iloilo.

The beauty queen shared that it all started with her perfectionist taste in cosmetics.

“Nag start kasi yan dati hindi ko gusto ang mga makeup ng mga patay masyado maputi masyado manipis ang kilay so sabi ko why not ano syempre last few days na lang nila na makikita sila ng pamilya nila so doon nag start ang idea (It started when I noticed the makeup of the dead and I wanted it improved),” Rabiya said.

Rabiya added that she is taking it slow but sure, and finding the right people to work with her with this venture. 

“Wala po ako makuha embalmer and nag search ako four years pala siya pag aaralan so syempre it takes a lot of time pero malay natin may makilala din ako na pwede (It’s hard to look for a good embalmer, it’s a four-year course),” she added.

The Kapuso host said she learned not to be afraid of cadavers for she encountered laboratory works involving real corpses in her college days. 

“Hindi ako takot sa patay naniniwala ako na mayroon Diyos at kung ano man entity meron dito sa mundo. Yung background ko kasi during my PT school part ng pag aaral namin nag open kami ng cadaver, bangkay talaga so hindi naman ako natatakot (I’m not afraid of the dead, I believe in God. Back in my college days we opened cadavers in PT school),” she said.

And does her boyfriend (fellow Kapuso actor Jeric Gonzales) approve of this business venture that Rabiya is planning to start? 

“Si Jeric dini-discourage nya ako sabi nya marami na daw nakatayo na ganyan business. Nagtanong nga ako sa kanya sa Batangas para mas malapit dito sa Manila sabi nya marami na daw so baka let’s see baka sa Iloilo (He is discouraging me because he says there are already a lot of businesses like that. But let’s see, maybe in Iloilo),” the beauty queen said.

From beauty queen to CEO

Rabiya was recently signed to be one of the ambassadors of LVNA Jewelry and according to her special contract package with the brand, she also becomes the CEO of her own branch in Cavite. 

“Send me all the materials that I need to study tell me kung may seminars na kailangan ako mag attend I want to attend all the meetings that you have for me to learn kasi nandoon na eh bibigyan ka ng isang branch para maipakita mo ang leadership skills mo and it’s an opportunity to venture out of showbiz (It’s something outside showbiz that I can venture and learn),” she said.

Rabiya is once again challenge to learn something that is very new to her and she takes it as a positive challenge. 

“Ako bilang isang leader naman I listen for me to make the best decisions in the business you have to listen sa mga tao na nagtatrabaho doon. I have so much to learn parang feeling ko back to school ulit ako but still I’m grateful to be here (It’s a new world for me to learn),” she added.