Style icon Heart Evangelista has spoken out about her sources of income and her reason for skipping the September 21 rallies amid criticism.
Evangelista alleged that people have told her they would strip her naked if she would attend the rally, not because she was indifferent to the Filipino people’s fight against corruption.
“People ask me about, ‘Oh why weren’t you in the rally?’ Why wasn’t I in the rally? You think I don’t want to be in the rally? You think I don’t have a voice? You think I’m not frustrated? You think hindi ako napipikon? Pikon naman din ako ah, bakit, ‘di ako Pinoy? I’m not in the rally is because you said—a lot of people said—huhubaran niyo ako kung pupunta ako sa rally. How cruel can you be? What did I do? … I have (been nothing but a) hardworking citizen,” the actress said during an Instagram live.
Addressing the issue of her livelihood and earnings, the socialite said her job entailed “unboxing” or unveiling products and making social media posts about fashion shows, among other things, as per contracts signed with companies.
“It’s important that you know the difference of people who aren’t doing anything, who are just using people’s money and on vacation and spending like there’s no tomorrow, and it’s not a job for them, or they’re doing unboxing and ‘yun ‘yung pinag-shoppingan nila,” Evangelista said.
She described her “bread and butter” as a business that required attendance in notable events and networking, revealing she would make millions per show.
“I started to go, I met a few people, and met a few agents, I met companies—because it was a business that wasn’t known to a lot of people the Fashion Week is known now,” Evangelista said.
“So, for example, a brand would tap you to go to a show. I’m paid around ₱2M per show… Okay that’s too much information because I don’t really feel like some people deserve that but okay, I’m proud of it. I’m proud of my job,” she continued.
The fashion maven said that she, too, had started out with a regular job, needing to become financially independent and prove herself to her parents. She expressed offense over people challenging her professional integrity when she has always upheld a strong work ethic.
“My number one power was my job. My number one power was [that] I can be my own woman, I can stand on my own two feet,” she told viewers.
“That’s why I am so upset, that you come for my professional integrity, when I was never late, when I was always on time. When I was struggling on my own, I went to work every goddamn day. And I am proud of what I am today,” she added.
Moreover, Evangelista acknowledged that not everyone has been dealt the same cards and some, like her, are better off than others, even if others have also put in the same effort she has.
“They were also on time, they also went to work. In fact, they also had times when they go to work, and by the time they get home, everybody’s asleep. And it’s like we’re renting our lives, that we’re working to live. We don’t even have time to live. And that upsets me,” she lamented.
She announced that she would not be going to the upcoming Fashion Week, apologizing to fans cheering her on.
“Honestly I don’t think it’s the right time for anyone, especially from our country, to be going to fashion week because I think we need to be here … it’s important that we open our eyes and we truly become one and empathize and really see what’s going on and see what we can do,” the influencer explained.
Evangelista has been meeting with her attorney, saying she will not be taking people’s comments “sitting down.”
The luxury fashion figure’s husband, former Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, has been linked to one of the top 15 contractors that cornered a bulk of the government’s flood control projects in recent years.
Lawrence Lubiano, owner of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., is said to have donated ₱30 million to Escudero’s 2022 campaign, in violation of the Omnibus Election Code Section 95(c).
