Rabiya Mateo jokes after fans compare NMAT score with Chinese drama character

A playful moment on social media turned into a viral conversation after beauty queen Rabiya Mateo reacted to fans comparing her academic achievement to a fictional prodigy from a Chinese drama series.

Mateo took to Instagram Stories after online users noticed an amusing similarity between her National Medical Admission Test score and that of Linda Walker, a character in the Chinese vertical drama The Heiress Who Won With Brains.

An Ilonggo media outlet shared a graphic highlighting Mateo’s NMAT general performance score of 741, celebrating the milestone of the Iloilo-born beauty queen.

The post drew attention online when fans pointed out that in the drama series, Linda Walker—portrayed by Chinese actress Zhang Yingfei—earned an NMAT score of 719.

Mateo’s real-life result was 22 points higher than the fictional character’s score.

The beauty queen appeared amused by the unexpected comparison.

“This is so funny,” she wrote on Instagram Stories. “Sorry na Linda Walker.”

Returning to medicine

Beyond the lighthearted moment, Mateo’s NMAT result reflects her continued commitment to a career in medicine.

Before winning the Miss Universe Philippines crown in 2020, Mateo had already begun pursuing a path in healthcare. In 2018, she earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Iloilo Doctors’ College.

In a February vlog interview with DJ Chacha, Mateo said she plans to return to medical school—an ambition she has long spoken about since her pageant reign.

Fiction meets real life

The viral comparison also highlighted how online culture blends entertainment with real-life achievements.

In The Heiress Who Won With Brains, the character Linda Walker is introduced as a brilliant medical student from Bookshire province who later discovers she is the daughter of a wealthy family.

Fans quickly pointed out the irony online: Mateo’s real-life NMAT score surpassed the academic benchmark of the fictional character.

The comparison became a humorous moment among followers who have seen the beauty queen balance glamour with academic ambition.

Beyond pageantry

For Mateo, the moment may have been playful, but it also highlighted a longstanding part of her story—her dedication to education.

From pageantry to a possible return to medical school, the Iloilo-born beauty queen continues to pursue her goal of becoming a doctor while maintaining a strong presence in public life.

And judging from her response online, Mateo is more than willing to laugh along with the internet while keeping her focus on her long-term plans.