Kapamilya actress and content creator Ivana Alawi has addressed the growing backlash surrounding her recent “buntis social experiment” vlog, after a man featured in the video—identified online as Vio—claimed he received bashing from viewers and suggested that the vlog violated his privacy.
The video showed Ivana disguised as a pregnant woman seeking help from strangers. One of the people she approached was Vio, who was eating at a roadside eatery.
However, the vlog eventually focused on an elderly homeless man known as Kuya Hesus, who gave Ivana ₱10 despite having very little, capturing the admiration of viewers. Ivana later pledged to help with his medical needs and appealed to his family to get in touch with her.
Following the vlog’s release, Vio became the target of online ridicule for allegedly refusing to help Ivana. Some netizens even suggested that he could sue the actress for supposedly posting his face without permission.
On December 7, Ivana posted a photo with Vio on social media, along with a detailed explanation clearing up the issue.
According to her, she only shows unblurred faces in her videos when the featured individuals have given consent.
“Alam ko na kailangan magpaalam palagi sa mga ipapakita ko na hindi naka-blur… Marami ang naka-blur sa una at gitna dahil hindi kami humingi ng consent sa mga taong ’yun,” she explained.
Ivana said Vio had agreed to appear in the vlog, and her team had raw footage to prove it.
“Hindi naman siya tumanggi sa’kin nung hiningan ko siya… Marami po kaming raw footage kung saan makikitang pumayag si kuya lumabas sa vlog ko.”
She added that Vio had forgotten he gave consent, but after reviewing the footage she showed him, he apologized.
According to Ivana, Vio admitted that his friends teased him after watching the vlog—particularly about the ₱100,000 given to Kuya Hesus, with some joking that the money “should have been his.”
“Inaasar kasi daw siya ng mga taong kakilala niya… na sayang ang 100k na dapat sa kanya napunta pero naunahan lang daw siya, kaya siya ay nakapag-post ng ganun.”
Ivana clarified that the money was indeed intended for Kuya Hesus from the moment she witnessed his generosity despite his circumstances.
The actress ended her statement by calling for responsible consumption of online content.
“Paalala sa mga taong mahilig maniwala agad sa kung ano ang nakita sa social media.
Tandaan po na laging may dalawang side ang kwento.”
Ivana’s social experiment quickly garnered millions of views, with many praising the heartwarming response of Kuya Hesus. Some viewers, however, turned their attention to Vio, whose momentary hesitation became the subject of harsh online commentary.
