MANILA, Philippines — Actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista has found herself at the center of public controversy following the ouster of her husband, Sen. Francis “Escudero, as Senate president and renewed questions about so-called “nepo babies” tied to a flood control issue in government.

Evangelista, 40, remains one of the country’s most visible celebrities, holding more than 50 active brand endorsements. She is a fixture at Paris and Milan fashion weeks and widely credited with opening doors for Filipina influencers on the global stage. But her high-profile lifestyle has increasingly become a target for critics.

On Instagram, she regularly posts collaborations with both local and global labels. However, not all reactions have been supportive. Recent comments under Evangelista’s Instagram posts have turned negative, with some users questioning her lavish lifestyle and connections to politics.

Lawyer Jesus Falcis publicly questioned whether Evangelista’s earnings have been fully declared to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“No offense to her, this is not personal. But these are just the facts. What blockbuster movies has she done? What is her biggest endorsement with giant corporations?” Falcis said in a DWAR Abante Radyo interview.

He added that top taxpayers’ lists should reflect the earnings of celebrities with multiple endorsements.

“My only question for Ma’am Heart is this: if she really has many endorsements, and if the value of those endorsements is that high, why has she never appeared among the top taxpayers?” he said.

Still, some fans on social media have rallied to Evangelista’s defense.

Instagram account Sashes&Scripts described the backlash as politically motivated, calling her an “easy target” while attention is diverted from issues involving public funds and infrastructure spending.

“Heart represents luxury and fashion, two things most Filipinos don’t know how their business models operate. Because her husband is a senator who could spoil others’ political ambitions … Because Heart is too successful for her own good that people who envy her success want to peg her down,” the Sashes&Scripts’ post read.

Heart Evangelista faces scrutiny over lifestyle as husband loses Senate presidency

The wave of criticism has not slowed her work. At the Beauty Con 2025 event on August 29 for beauty brand Luxelle, Evangelista addressed her career and outlook.

Evangelista shared, “You know, I’m a go-getter. I’m a real hustler and I just turned 40 and I really feel like everything is just starting. All the things I’ve worked so hard for in the past, it’s like harvest time and I’m just very grateful, so more work, more opportunities, no matter how tired I am, I’m gonna go for it.”, This news data comes from:http://052298.com

“My mom and I are both very hardworking. So earlier on I already had businesses outside show business because I understood that before, especially, the mentality was beauty has a shelf life. When you’re no longer beautiful, people are no longer interested. So I wanted to really focus on things outside show business. Plus, when I get older, I know it’s not always going to be about me. I also wanted to serve the people and it’s not just ‘oh, me, me, me,’” she added.

Heart Evangelista faces scrutiny over lifestyle as husband loses Senate presidency

Other than that, Evangelista has yet to comment on the issue thrown by the public about her and her lifestyle.

Evangelista began acting at age 13 with her debut in the ABS-CBN youth-oriented television series “G-mik!” in 1999, after being discovered by a talent scout. She joined the Star Magic Star Circle Batch 9 in 1999 and quickly rose to popularity, starring in more lead roles and endorsements in the years that followed.

Evangelista and Escudero got married on Feb. 15, 2015, at the Balesin Island Club.