Bianca Gonzalez defended herself against accusations of being “performative” after sharing her sentiments online regarding the recent political developments in the country.
The TV host drew attention on X after reacting to the much-discussed Senate leadership shakeup, which saw 13 senators vote to replace Tito Sotto with Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president. The controversy was further fueled by the reappearance of Ronald dela Rosa following months of absence and reports surrounding his attempted arrest.
In her post, Gonzalez questioned the country’s leadership and governance, writing: “Ang gusto lang naman ng mga Pilipino ay mapagaan ang buhay, na ang buwis na kinakaltas sa araw araw at sa sweldo ay maibalik sa paraan ng serbisyong pampubliko. Ano bang kailangang mangyari para matupad ’yon, para magkaroon ng sistema’t liderato na tunay na para sa tao?”
While many netizens agreed with her frustrations over the current political climate, others criticized her for maintaining ties with personalities linked to the politicians being criticized online.
Several comments pointed to Gonzalez’s friendship with fellow hosts Toni Gonzaga and Mariel Rodriguez, both of whom she previously worked with in various hosting stints.
Gonzaga previously faced backlash for openly supporting and campaigning for Bongbong Marcos during the 2022 elections.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, is married to Robin Padilla, one of the senators who voted in favor of the Senate leadership change. The actor-politician has also remained a vocal supporter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained in The Hague over charges related to crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
One repost from X user Nico Quejano, which gained more than 17,000 likes, read: “You’re friends with the wife of one of the 13 senators. He is literally within your sphere of influence.”
Another user wrote: “Bianca, ‘di ka ba napapagod na ang dami mong kuda pero ‘yung mga malalapit sa’yo, you can’t even hold to account?”
“Imagine saying this while also hanging out with the wife of the senator who is also part of the problem. The call is coming from inside the house,” another comment stated.
Others went as far as calling Gonzalez a “performative activist.”
In one response, Gonzalez addressed the criticism directly after a user wrote: “Ate Biancs, your dedication to performative politics should honestly be studied.”
“I’ve been around way too long in the fight for good governance, since pre-social media days, to be categorized as performative. Hindi po ako ang kalaban,” Gonzalez replied.
Gonzalez has long been vocal about social and political issues, frequently using her platform to speak out on matters concerning governance and public welfare.
