Former Hashtags member Nikko Natividad addressed online speculation after netizens questioned how he supposedly afforded a luxury Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, clarifying that the viral post was merely a joke and that he does not own the vehicle.
On July 31, Natividad shared photos of himself posing with a G-Wagon shortly after opening Cà Phê Xanh, the Vietnamese coffee shop he co-owns with his wife, Cielo Eusebio, and their business partners.
In his caption, he jokingly wrote: “Mag isang buwan palang ang @caphexanh.ph pero nabili ko na ang pangarap kong G-wagon. Pag nakuha mo talaga ang tamang formula maaabot mo talaga lahat ng gusto mo.”
He also quipped: “SIPAG TYAGA AT KONTING MANNY LAUNDRY.”
While many followers congratulated him, others questioned the source of his supposed wealth, with some discussions spilling over to Reddit.
Responding to the speculation, Natividad reposted a screenshot of the Reddit thread and stressed that the photos were simply made for content.
“Grabe naman kayo pinag uusapan nyo agad ako sa Reddit. Imposible na ba makapagpatayo ako ng coffee shop? Baba naman tingin nyo sakin.”
He clarified that if he ever buys a G-Wagon, he would make sure everyone knows about it.
“Regarding G-Wagon, wag kayo mag-alala. Pag meron na talaga ako niyan, mag-u-unboxing pa ako naka-live. Eh content nga ‘yun.”
He also joked that if he were already wealthy enough to own the luxury SUV, he would not still be cleaning tables at his café.
“Kung mayaman na talaga ako, hindi ako magpupunas ng mesa sa @caphexanh.ph. Pumunta kasi kayo para makita n’yo.”
In a separate Facebook post, Natividad also defended his new business against those questioning how he managed to open a coffee shop.
“Jusko po maliit na Vietnamese coffee shop lang tinayo ko at hindi mining! Wala hong nakakabigla dun kung paano ko nagawa ‘yun.”
He even joked that once he truly becomes rich, he would treat everyone to free coffee.
“Huwag kayo mag-alala pag mayaman na ako magpapa-free taste ako ng egg coffee namin.”
As the online discussion continued, Natividad admitted he was amused but also teased that critics had ruined his fantasy.
“NAKAKAINIS SINIRA N’YO FANTASY KO.”
Despite the controversy, many fans defended the actor, saying they understood his sense of humor and praised him for being witty.
Aside from Cà Phê Xanh, Natividad and Eusebio have also ventured into other businesses, including Sunset Serenity Beach House, an Airbnb property in Iba, Zambales, which they launched with fellow former Hashtags member Zeus Collins and other partners. Meanwhile, Eusebio is also a co-founder of wellness and beauty brands The Bloom Project and Saku Skin.
