THE term “nepo baby”—short for “nepotism baby”—has become a hot topic in the Philippines. It refers to children of wealthy or powerful families who showcase their privilege on social media instead of proving themselves. To be fair, many of them do earn from their online content—but the flaunting still raises eyebrows.
But netizens aren’t staying quiet, especially when these heirs flaunt luxury while most Filipinos are struggling to get by. Flashing wealth while millions can’t even buy rice—or are wading through floods. As one viral comment put it: “We’re scraping coins for jeepney fare while they’re guessing the bill for dinner.”
Under fire are the so-called “influencer heirs.” Their designer bags, Paris getaways, shopping sprees, and glossy “day-in-the-life” TikToks scream excess and spark backlash.
America has its own nepo babies—Lily-Rose Depp, Zoë Kravitz, Jaden Smith—but they often emphasize working hard for their success. In the Philippines, however, the flaunting of luxury seems louder and brasher. Maybe it’s because Filipinos genuinely love fashion and upscale living. A booming luxury market proves it. Filipinos—both rich and aspirational—have been buying high-end fashion, cosmetics, watches, and accessories even during economic instability. Manila ranks among Asia’s top cities for high-net-worth individuals and is seen as a prime destination for luxury shopping. Global brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, and Gucci have expanded here, and luxury boutiques continue to open in major malls like Greenbelt and BGC
Now compare that with the old rich. Ramon Ang of San Miguel makes his kids start small in business before taking on bigger roles. The Gotianun family of Filinvest trains heirs in finance and real estate quietly, away from TikTok. Even the Villars raise children to manage their businesses with discipline, not Instagram reels.
Being born rich isn’t the problem. Rubbing it in people’s faces is. The bottom line is that at a time when the Philippines is reeling from floods and disasters, nepo babies won’t gain respect by showing off, but by showing humility. Instead of flaunting bags or trips, they’d do better by using their platforms to raise help for victims’ families. A nepo baby who does that today will not only earn more likes, but also set the example others would want to follow.
