'Badjao Girl' Rita Gaviola is engaged to non-showbiz boyfriend
Rita Gaviola, popularly known as "Badjao Girl," is engaged to Jeric Ong, her non-showbiz partner and the father of her first baby.
Sharing the good news on her social media accounts, the former Pinoy Big Brother contestant posted a picture of her partner kneeling on one knee and asking her to be his wife. Rita could only cover her mouth in surprise as she was overwhelmed with emotion.
"This is it," she captioned the post.
Rita seemed to hint that they are planning the wedding two years from now, as she wrote in the comments section, "June 03 2025" with an emoji of a bride.
The engagement comes a year after the former teen housemate announced that she and her partner are now parents to their baby girl, Kia, who they revealed through posting pictures from a photo shoot in August.
While some social media users were not so supportive of her new blessing, saying that it might affect her career, Rita was quick to defend her bundle of joy.
"Sabihan ninyo lang ako masasakit na salita. Kahit laitin niyo ako, okay lang sa akin. Basta wag ninyo lang idamay ang anak ko, tatanggapin ko lahat ng masasakit, wag lang anak ko," she wrote in the caption as she shared a close-up picture of her child.
In a video posted on their YouTube channel, Rita and her boyfriend also argued against claims that they are just relying on their parents to provide for their baby, stressing that they are taking care of Kia through their sources of income.
"May mga sarili na rin kaming pang hanapbuhay na stable at pangtustos sa aming baby at mga pangangailangan. Ang mga magulang, andyan yan. Kahit hindi kami humingi, tumutulong sila, nasa likod lang sila. Pero hindi kami nanghihingi," Jeric said.
Rita first rose to popularity after a picture of her begging during the Pahiyas Festival went viral. She captured the public's attention because of her striking facial features, skin tone, and physique comparable to that of a model.
She then joined the reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 in 2016 along with the show's winner, Maymay Entrata. In 2022, she became a contestant in "Showtime Sexy Babe," a segment of the noontime show It’s Showtime, where she emerged as a daily round winner.