Rita Gaviola is considered a real-life Cinderella with an unbelievable story.
When photographer Topher Quinto Burgo witnessed the moment Rita Gaviola (born in 2003) held a box of money and begged on the streets of Lucban, Philippines, he was attracted by her rustic, honest beauty. Topher Quinto Burgo quickly took the camera and recorded the image of Gaviola asking for money while carrying his baby on his back.
Photo: Topher Quinto Burgos/Rita Gaviola
Gaviola’s father worked as a garbage collector and his mother stayed home to take care of five small children. None of the Gaviola family members attended school at the time and they lived in constant poverty. So Rita often goes out to ask for change or food
Photographer Topher Quinto Burgo then posted a series of photos of Rita Gaviola on social networks and overnight, the poor beggar girl became the center of attention.
As a member of the Badjao ethnic minority, she was nicknamed “Badjao girl” by the public and was supported by several Filipino celebrities. They all did their best to help Rita Gaviola escape poverty
Celebrities such as Miss World Philippines 2015 Hillarie Danielle Parungao, Miss International Philippines 2014 Bianca Guidotti and Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong all took to social media to praise Rita Gaviola’s outstanding face. That makes “Badjao girl” attract even more attention
Rita Gaviola later signed on as a model for various brands, played small roles in television series and became one of the youngest participants in the popular reality show Pinoy Big brother
All of that has helped Rita Gaviola gain a loyal audience, including foreign fans who have sent money to help her financially.
Although Rita Gaviola is no longer a hot topic on social networks like when she first emerged, she still has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram. Because she prioritizes her studies, “Badjao girl” no longer participates in many advertising campaigns
Rita Gaviola is suspected of dating Gello Angelo Marquez (born in 2000) – a multi-talented artist in this country. The star couple is said to have developed feelings for each other through matching couple photo shoots. However, both have never spoken about this relationship
