Gov. Vilma Santos ‘crucified’ over ‘condescending’ statement
The controversy erupted after Santos made the following comment during the interview, following relentless online criticism of her and her husband.
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Daily TribuneThe controversy erupted after Santos made the following comment during the interview, following relentless online criticism of her and her husband.
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GOVERNOR Vilma Santos-Recto
DONNALYN Bartolome
Photograph courtesy of NSTAGRAM/DONNALYN BARTOLOME
Governor Vilma Santos’ office has issued a clarification regarding statements that sparked public outrage.
The clarification explained that a press interview with Gov. Vi had been spliced, creating a misleading narrative. According to her office, the editing made it appear as if the governor had insulted the public, which was not the case.
The controversy erupted after Santos made the following comment during the interview, following relentless online criticism of her and her husband, Ralph Recto: “Kaya niyo kami tinitira kasi nasa taas kami, at kaya kayo tumitira kasi nasa baba kayo (You’re attacking us because we’re at the top; you’re attacking us because you’re at the bottom).”
The remark drew immediate backlash on social media. Many netizens criticized Santos for being condescending, with comments such as:
“She has lost her humility! An insult to those in the lower social class — kinda tactless.”
“Don’t worry, madam. Bababa din kayo one day.”
“That’s her real self… she’s really an artist. Pretentious and hypocritical.”
“Remember, Vilma: what goes up must come down.”
“People put you in that position; therefore, you must be thankful for where and who you are now.”
“This is one of the reasons why actresses shouldn’t automatically qualify for politics, especially without a political background.”
“Grabe, discrimination na 'yan between rich and poor.”
“It takes years to build a good reputation but only seconds to destroy it.”
With the backlash mounting, some believe that Santos’ political career could be at risk.
Goodbye vlogging for Donnalyn
In her latest vlog, actress-vlogger Donnalyn Bartolome emotionally announced that she is stepping away from vlogging.
“There’s no easy way to say this, especially to 10 million of you, but I’m saying goodbye to vlogging. That is my gift to myself,” Bartolome revealed.
Her announcement drew mixed reactions on social media:
“More people will watch the final 10 vlogs, she’ll enjoy the earnings for a while, and then SURPRISE — I’m back. All for the clout, of course.”
“Papansin ka naman. Quit if you want. No big deal. If you want to say goodbye, explain why. Otherwise, go in peace.”
“It doesn’t say ‘forever’ anyway… she’ll be back in no time lol.”
This year, Bartolome won the Best Content Creator Award at the 2025 Septimius Awards in Amsterdam, where she also highlighted the need to plant more trees to help address flooding.
