A social media uprising is shaking the Philippines — and it’s infiltrating the global FYP. Videos shaming the “nepo babies” of government contractors and politicians aren’t just trending in the Filipino zeitgeist, they’re spreading on the internet around the world, drawing fresh attention to the country’s deep corruption woes at a time when netizens are taking a closer look at their governments.
This digital revolt was instigated by the handling of the July 2025 floods — when monsoon rains and tropical storms left Metro Manila and its neighbours knee-deep in water.
More than 6 million people were affected, with over 30 dead and thousands displaced, exposing just how broken flood protection had become, and spotlighting how so much government spending seemed to make no difference for ordinary people.
Why are Fillipino nepo babies being exposed on TikTok?
What followed was an explosion of online investigations. As news broke that over ₱100 billion (AUD2.58 billion) of the ₱545 billion (AUD 14.06 billion) earmarked for flood control landed with only 15 contractors — many with undisclosed ties to politicians — Filipinos began examining not just the officials, but their children’s Instagram and TikTok accounts.
Accounts like @fairypolicy on TikTok voiced what many were thinking, “Thousands of netizens are cancelling and going against nepo babies of government contractors because apparently these government contractors have been making big fucking bucks off fucking scamming the Philippine citizens.
“So yeah, people from the Philippines are now like, ‘Oh, so you wanna flaunt all that wealth from our stolen money? Bet. Bet. We’re gonna let everybody know.’ And now they’re making collages of these fucking nepo babies.”
Top nepo babies felt the heat quickly. Claudine Co, a vlogger whose father’s company was named in the flood control investigation, went offline after her luxury-themed content drew the ire of netizens. Jammy Cruz, whose family firm bagged billions in projects, made her Instagram private after a video of her Chanel bag set off a firestorm. Others like the Enciso Sisters, Mia Fortich, and Gela Marasigan switched off comments or restricted posts following sustained digital scrutiny.
Jasmine ‘Daday’ Chan, critiqued for flaunting her trip to Europe, insisted in a statement, “This is my husband’s gift as newlyweds because we just got married. There is no money in the barangay to be used. Clothes of mine, look for it on Shopee, you can find it there — that’s what I own being *kikay,” and apologised to her community for any offence caused.
Some criticism arose as to why the internet was targeting politician kids, rather than the politicians themselves and to that, TikTokers say both parties deserve to be held accountable.
“Why not both? Why can’t I do both? Why can’t I clown on both? Because we are so capable of doing that,” TikToker Nikki said in her video.
“And my thing is just like, ‘Oh, they’re kids, they don’t know any better.’ They look like they’re pushing 30. You know, with that fine education that their parents bought for them, you would, you would expect more to come out of there, you know?”
The frustration is palpable — not just about the vast sums wasted, but about generational privilege insulated from consequence, even in disaster.
TikToker @cvilliann reminded viewers that this backlash is not new, rather social media is just waking up to the attrocities spreading through the Philippines.
“Corrupt officials have been facing backlash for decades since exemption from punishment runs rampant in the Philippine justice system. Literally look into corruption and human rights scandals from every Philippine president from Duterte to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Aquinos, the Marcos‘, and hold on to that thought. If elected officials are roaming freely and with immense power, so are the people that are lining their pockets, including the families of these four nepo babies, and more,” she said.
She goes on to reference the three-decade effort to recover an estimated $10 billion allegedly siphoned off by the Marcos family, this case was ultimately dismissed.
Bringing it back to present day @cvilliann thinks that “Every peso stolen is food taken from the hungry, medicine withheld from the sick, classrooms denied to children, and protection stripped from vulnerable communities. If the parents are shielded by impunity, then the public has every right to go after their children as symbols of their rot.”
Why it matters beyond the feeds
This flood of backlash unfolded as similar scandals and street protests shook Indonesia, where citizens pushed beyond digital activism to demand government reform.
Filipino outrage is spreading globally, as Instagram pages like Project Nightfall put it: “Politicians’ kids flaunting $7,000 handbags online. Their parents? Construction contractors who pocketed billions in ‘flood control projects’ while communities still flood every year. But this isn’t just one country’s problem…corruption has become a global virus. And Gen Z is calling it out like never before. The corrupt can steal money… But they can’t steal the truth when millions are watching.”
The debate is ongoing: are Filipinos just engaging in “lifestyle policing”, or is this the tipping point for a movement that invests more energy into voting, institutional reform, and action offscreen?
“Stop voting for these political dynasties. You are more than capable,” @cvilliann reminds fellow Filipinos, urging them to keep the pressure on, not just online but in the real world.
For now, nepo baby shaming is neither just entertainment nor mindless rage — it’s a rallying cry that refuses to let privilege hide behind private accounts or public apologies.
And it seems the pressure is making its way through official channels. The Philippine president and Congress have begun looking into possibly massive corruption in flood control projects. Proceedings are under way, with multiple committees, televised hearings, and promises not to ignore “even a whiff of corruption” — a critical step for turning viral anger into real accountability.
Whether this digital energy spills out into the streets, the ballot box, or fizzles as another moment lost to the scroll, Filipinos have made one thing clear: the gap between the elite and the millions wading through floods and ruined homes will not be ignored.
The world is watching — and millions won’t just scroll past anymore.
*Kikay refers to women who are interested in beauty products or fashion.
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