When influence meets infamy, the internet never forgets.
Picture this: It’s 2025, and the Philippine digital landscape has become a battleground where likes, shares, and controversy collide in spectacular fashion. While some influencers inspire and educate, others have turned scandal into their secret sauce for staying relevant—and the results have been nothing short of explosive.
This year has been particularly wild. From content creators openly monetizing drama to lifestyle influencers making tone-deaf comments about wealth, Filipino social media has served up more drama than a primetime teleserye. With Filipino concern over online misinformation hitting a record-breaking 67%, these controversial figures have found themselves under a microscope like never before.
Ready to dive into the chaos? Here are the five most controversial Filipino social media influencers who’ve kept the Philippines talking, arguing, and scrolling in 2025.
Controversial Filipino Social Media Influencers in 2025
- Toni Fowler – Monetizing controversy as a business strategy
- Cong TV – Lingering scammer allegations impact
- Whamos Cruz – Persistent controversy reputation
- Mimiyuuuh – Elitist dating advice backlash
- Bea Borres – Tone-deaf inheritance comments
Toni Fowler
Platform: YouTube/Facebook | Type: Content Creator/Vlogger
Here’s what makes Toni Fowler fascinating—she’s turned controversy into an art form and isn’t shy about admitting it. During her April 2025 appearance on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” she candidly revealed that controversies significantly boost her online views and income. It’s a brutally honest admission that most influencers would never dare make publicly.
Her involvement in the ongoing Jon Gutierrez and Jelai Andres scandal continues to generate buzz, while her lie detector test with Bea Borres produced explicit revelations that had social media buzzing for weeks. Critics have also targeted her for music videos that many deemed objectifying to women. Fowler’s approach is refreshingly transparent about the economics of digital drama: attention equals revenue, and she’s mastered the formula. Whether you love her or hate her, you can’t deny her business acumen.
Cong TV
Platform: YouTube | Type: Gaming/Entertainment Vlogger
While Cong TV’s major scammer allegations surfaced in 2023, 2025 has been about dealing with the aftermath that just won’t fade away. The accusations of involvement in scam operations alongside his fiancée Viy Cortez—which he vehemently denied—continue to haunt his reputation like a digital ghost that refuses to be exorcised.
Throughout 2025, other creators have criticized him with ongoing negative commentary, proving that in the digital world, some controversies have incredibly long shelf lives. The businesses he endorsed issued statements supporting his integrity, but public perception? That’s harder to rebuild than a damaged algorithm. His situation demonstrates how one major controversy can cast a shadow over an entire career, regardless of subsequent efforts to clear one’s name.
Whamos Cruz
Platform: TikTok/YouTube | Type: TikTok Creator
Whamos Cruz’s inclusion on multiple “most controversial Filipino influencers” lists tells a story of how digital scandals can follow creators indefinitely. While specific 2025 controversies are less documented, his continued presence in controversy discussions demonstrates the lasting impact of past incidents. It’s like being permanently stuck in social media purgatory—not actively creating new scandals, but never quite escaping the reputation that previous ones created.
His situation serves as a reminder that in the influencer world, your reputation often becomes your brand whether you want it or not. Sometimes the most challenging controversy is simply being unable to shake off the controversial label, even when you’re trying to move forward and create different content.
Mimiyuuuh
Platform: TikTok/YouTube | Type: Comedy Content Creator
Mimiyuuuh learned the hard way that timing and tone matter in 2025. Their Cosmopolitan Philippines video featuring the advice “Never, ever date someone na walang pera” sparked massive backlash for being elitist and out of touch with Filipino economic realities. In a country where many people struggle financially, the advice came across as incredibly tone-deaf and privileged.
Adding fuel to the fire, their “EMElan Fashion Week” parody was criticized as insensitive, given the concurrent controversies surrounding Filipino celebrities at the actual Milan Fashion Week. The dual controversies forced them to release a clarification video, but the damage to their relatability was already done. It’s a perfect example of how even comedy content creators need to be mindful of the social and economic context in which they’re operating.
Bea Borres
Platform: TikTok/Social Media | Type: Lifestyle Influencer
Bea Borres’ 2025 controversy perfectly captured the disconnect between influencer privilege and Filipino reality. When questioned about maintaining a high social status despite both parents being deceased, her response—asking if it wasn’t “normal in the Philippines to be left with inheritance”—struck many as incredibly out of touch. For a country where the majority of families struggle financially and inheritance is often more debt than wealth, her comment felt like a slap in the face to economic reality.
She also participated in the “explosive sausage challenge,” which drew mixed reactions for its suggestive nature, adding another layer to her controversial year. Her situation highlights how lifestyle influencers need to be particularly careful about how they discuss wealth and privilege, especially in a country with significant economic inequality.
FAQ: Most Controversial Filipino Social Media Influencers 2025
Why are these specific influencers considered the most controversial in 2025
Each has been involved in significant public scandals or generated substantial backlash throughout 2025. Their controversies range from openly monetizing drama to making tone-deaf social commentary that sparked widespread debate.
What makes Toni Fowler stand out as the most controversial?
Her brutal honesty about using controversy as a business strategy sets her apart. She openly admits that scandals boost her views and income, making her a fascinating case study in the economics of digital drama.
How has the Philippine government responded to controversial social media content?
2025 has seen intensified government action with House of Representatives investigations into fake news, over 5,000 cybercrime arrests in the first half of the year alone, and various legal actions against problematic content creators.
Do controversies actually help or hurt influencers financially?
It’s a mixed bag. Toni Fowler openly admits controversies boost her views and income, but others face lasting reputation damage that can severely impact their long-term earning potential and brand partnerships.
Why is economic inequality such a big theme in these controversies?
Several of these controversies stem from influencers making comments that reveal their disconnect from average Filipino economic realities. In a country with significant wealth gaps, tone-deaf remarks about money and privilege can spark intense backlash.
What does this say about the future of social media influence in the Philippines?
The increased scrutiny suggests we’re moving toward greater accountability for digital influencers. Filipinos are becoming more discerning consumers of social media content, demanding authenticity and social awareness over mere attention-grabbing tactics.
M2.0 Communications is a Philippines-based PR company that specializes in business, technology, and lifestyle communications. M2.0 helps brands tell meaningful stories through PR services that include reputation management, influencer management, and video production. Learn more about our work on our case studies page.
