Rita Gaviola, popularly known as Badjao Girl, couldn’t stop her tears from falling after she was told by one netizen to go back to her previous livelihood as a street beggar.
During one of her online selling sessions, Rita was reading comments when she suddenly stumbled upon a message from a netizen.
Rita could be seen teary-eyed while answering the netizen who poked fun at her past.
According to her, some netizens were insensitive because they had never experienced the life of just trying to survive and looking for ways to eat.
“Nilalait niyo ko? Babalik ako sa pamamalimos? Kahit bumalik ako sa pamamalimos ko, proud ako na naghirap ako. Dumaan ako sa [ganoong] proseso,” she said.
“Sasabihin niyo sa’kin bumalik ako sa pamamalimos ko? Bakit alam niyo ba ‘yung pinagdadaanan ko?” she added.
Rita even said that she was proud of being a Badjao.
“Sasabihin niyo bumalik ako sa pamamalimos dahil Badjao naman talaga ako? Hindi ako nahihiya na naging Badjao ako, mas lalo akong proud,” she stated.
“Yes, palibhasa kasi guys hindi nila naranasan mamalimos sa kalsada. Baka hindi niyo alam grabe yung experience ko sa pamamalimos para lang makaahon kami sa hirap.” she added.
It can be recalled that Rita went viral on social media in 2016 after she was photographed begging at the Pahiyas Festival in Quezon Province.
Her natural beauty quickly captured the attention of the netizens, and her life changed forever because of the said photo.
She was now working as a businesswoman after her short stint as an actress.