Poverty porn? Donnalyn Bartolome's 'kanto-style' birthday party draws mixed reactions

MANILA, Philippines — Less than a month after her baby-themed birthday photo shoot, social media personality Donnalyn Bartolome is the talk of the town anew when she uploaded on her YouTube channel her "kanto-style" birthday celebration on August 11.

The 34-minute video is currently the second trending upload on the YouTube as of this writing. It features Donnalyn having fun celebrating her birthday last July 9 with friends that include fellow celebrities like Richard Juan, Paul Salas, Mikee Quintos, and Awra Briguela, and social media personalities Zeinab Harake and Jelai Andres. 

The video could have been a regular yet special upload, but some netizens took offense and called Donnalyn as "privileged" and "out of touch" as she celebrated her special day with the street-style theme. 

Instead of a lavish party in a posh hotel, Donnalyn held it in a regular neighborhood where her birthday spread included balut, isaw and other street food, and her birthday cake was tutong (burnt rice). Her table set-up was casual and relaxed where she and her guests were seen having a drinking spree while enjoying a karaoke session. When guests arrived, she escorted them via a jeepney or tricycle ride. They then took shots on a photo booth that has yero or galvanized iron sheets as background. Guests were casually dressed in mostly shorts and blouses, but some eagle-eyed netizens saw how some of her guests were dressed or were carrying designer items while Donnalyn was gifted with expensive brands. 

Donnalyn explained at the beginning of the video that she wanted to relive the days when she was living a similar simple life when she was starting out in showbiz. 

Didn't rly have a problem w Donnalyn's obviously out of touch theme until I saw her gifts (designer everything!!) and then I was like wow she's REALLY out of touch!

— aitana (@ginsonza) August 16, 2022

omygod theres no way some of yall are actually thinking that donnalyn's kanto themed birthday is not wrong. poverty is not a "theme." it is an actual thing that people struggles with. for someone like her to do this for aesthetic and for funsies is very

— chatty is missing shaelyn :c (@zorodyke) August 15, 2022

Some think that her birthday theme is problematic. 

Donnalyn Bartolome's "kanto aesthetic" birthday is indeed problematic. You know why? The less fortunate perseveres, and to them, birthdays are important. They save money to buy the simplest cake, cook pancit or pinoy spaghetti and share them with their neighbors.

— jade (@jademmaneja) August 16, 2022

Another said that he gave the social media star the "benefit of the doubt" last month when her photo shoot went viral. This time, he has his opinion on the online personality. 

gave donnalyn benefit of the doubt when she apologized right after that baby photoshoot

but now it seems like she has a list of problematic things she wanna do to get clout, wondering what she’s gonna scratch off next

— yeojachingu forever ???? (@iskompetent) August 15, 2022

There are others who do not see anything wrong with how Donnalyn chose to celebrate her birthday. 

Idk why y'all are pressed about Donnalyn's bday celeb, as a person who's currently living in "kanto", I'm not even offended by it. Maybe that's how she celebrate it before, she just wanted to do it again. Y'all are so overly sensitive, let people enjoy things, lahat nalang issue

— ????? (@oohlalanceee) August 15, 2022

im no fan of Donnalyn Bartolome pero she did that kanto theme party because that’s her life when she left her comfortable life abroad (according to her fb post). It’s not just a concept, it’s part of her life. She lived like that before

— sdfghj (@ryasdfghkl) August 15, 2022

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