Vlogger Donnalyn Bartolome was the talk of the internet as her kanto or street-themed birthday party divided netizens on whether or not she engaged in "poverty porn".
Bartolome, who is among the country's top content creators, said the theme of her celebration was "not just a concept", but her way of reliving a time in her life wherein she may not have had much, but still enjoyed.
"Naexperience ko 'yung mga bagay na 'to. Isa siya sa mga memorable sakin kasi sobrang nag enjoy ako. 'Yung mga time na alam mo 'yun walang wala ka pa, pero kasama mo 'yung mga taong masarap kasama, mahal ka, 'yung mga totoo sayo. Kaya gusto ko irelive 'yung moment na 'yun sa buhay ko," she said in her vlog.
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Why people find this 'problematic'
After it was uploaded on YouTube, netizens started criticizing the party -- how Bartolome and her influencer friends dressed up in so-called "kanto aesthetic" that was far from the fancy lives they're known to live.
"Using 'kanto' aesthetic merely as an aesthetic without shedding light and calling for action over the financial insecurity, job precarity, and overall sickness that comes with it does not only maintain the unequal status quo-- aestheticizing it also contributes to this inequality," sociologist Ash Presto said in a viral thread on Twitter that was retweeted over 2,700 times and liked over 16,000 times, as of writing.
Going to the party venue, an actual street corner in an unidentified residential area, guests who came on time were ferried by a jeepney, while those who arrived later road tricycles.
The party had monobloc chairs, street food and cheap liquor for them to devour, traditional Filipino party games like pabitin, and even a birthday cake that was an upside-down mound of what looked like almost burnt rice with a candle.
Somewhat inconsistent with all these was a gift Bartolome received that came in a Dior paper bag and a Glambot or a high-speed camera that captures slow-motion reels usually used on red carpet events.
After Bartolome mixed her guests' drinks that were made of the traditional cheap rum, and serenaded them using a rented karaoke machine, she had another surprise. Electronic music DJ Patty Tiu, known for holding court in Manila's fancy clubs, was there to take charge of the party's music.
"Frustrating display of 'let me dress up like I'm from the urban poor'. This isn't only about *that* bday party, but the practice of being more conscientious as we try to put on a reality that many of us cannot slip out of," Presto said.
Early this week, the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed how pandemic lockdowns sank 19.99 million Filipinos into poverty in 2021, with the country's poverty incidence jumping to 18.1% last year from 17.7% in 2020.
Nearly half of Filipino families consider themselves poor as of June, an increase from two months prior as hotter than forecast inflation pushed commodity prices higher, a Social Weather Stations poll recently said.
"One can palpably see the outsider mimicking a life that people with lived realities find hard to celebrate," Presto, the sociologist said, adding that while she personally agreed people should be allowed to experience enjoyment, such is "*not* mutually exclusive with being sensitive."
Was it really 'poverty porn'?
The issue of "poverty porn" has long existed before the internet, traditionally known as "a tactic used by nonprofit and charity organizations to gain empathy and contributions from donors by showing exploitative imagery of people living in destitute conditions" a CNN report noted.
Using overt representations of people living in poverty, "it leaves many of us feeling uncomfortable, disconnected and guilty -- conflicted between turning a blind eye and reposting these pictures in hopes that sharing images of human suffering will enlighten others about poverty."
Analysts have noted how such portrayals are often exaggerated, or taken at the expense of the agency and dignity of the lives they claim to advocate for.
There is also the concept of "poor chic", defined as "an array of fads and fashions in popular culture that make recreational or stylish 'fun' of poverty, or of traditional symbols of working class and underclass statuses".
This need to look poor on purpose (i.e. the “simple” living trend of people moving into tiny homes) by people with money is often justified as a pushback against capitalism, or at the very least, a way of practicing minimalism, a lifestyle choice that has become increasingly popular due to climate change.
During the pandemic, rich Filipinos on the internet have been repeatedly criticized for the ostentatious displays of their wealth, as they highlighted what the less fortunate lacked during the health crisis.
Extreme views like "guillotine" or "eat the rich" were normalized on social media, alongside the more accepted view that the rich should now more than ever use their privilege for the common good.
In defense of Bartolome, netizens pointed out how they interpret what she has done as merely a celebration of Filipino culture.
"It is not a poverty porn, but rather a representation of how birthdays are celebrated here in the Philippines and how Filipinos have fun with it," one of the top comments in her vlog read.
Regardless of whether or not Bartolome was guilty of glamorizing poverty, what's clear in the end is undeniable power famous people have to stir conversations that ultimately shape the consciousness of their viewers.
"The responsibility of influencers (including social media influencers) is big as they are the ones who are always in the spotlight and many young people are looking up to them and following in their footsteps," sociologist Samuel Cabbuag earlier told reportr.
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