MANILA – Claudine Julia Monique Altavano Co, age 26, aka Claudine Co, a well-known singer and lifestyle vlogger from Legazpi City in Albay, has taken down her YouTube channel and Instagram profile after heavy criticism over the way she showcased her luxury lifestyle.
Before making her accounts inaccessible on 26 August 2025, Claudine Co had built up more than 340,000 subscribers on YouTube and 117,000 followers on Instagram thanks to her stylish travel clips, fashion content, and sunny beach photos. Her sudden absence online has sparked wide discussion about privilege, accountability, and the scrutiny faced by influencers across the Philippines.
Born on 11 April 1999, Claudine Co first found fame with her YouTube channel itsclaudineco, which she started in 2017. Her videos mixed music covers, travel updates, and an inside look at her life of comfort, drawing in younger people who were attracted by the clean aesthetic and aspirational feel.
With a degree in Communication Arts from the University of Santo Tomas, Co branched into business, becoming a co-owner of Jacob’s Wing Bistro, a popular chain of restaurants across the country. Known for her calm and polished online persona, she became a standout in Manila’s influencer community and landed partnerships with well-known brands like Dove and Shopee.
Claudine Co’s Troubles
Trouble began in August 2025 as public anger grew over reports linking her family to questionable government flood control contracts. Co’s father, Christopher Co, previously served as a representative for the Ako Bicol Partylist and was a founding partner of Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corporation.
Her uncle, Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, is a businessman and politician who leads the Sunwest Group of Companies and once chaired the House Committee on Appropriations. Both Hi-Tone and Sunwest were among the top contractors flagged by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for irregularities in billion-peso flood projects, drawing nationwide scrutiny to their business deals.
The backlash became more heated when one of Claudine Co’s vlogs showed her boarding a private jet to La Union, a scene that upset many as news of poor flood response and public money troubles circulated. People on social media, especially on Reddit and Threads, accused her of showing off riches possibly linked to public funds.
Some wrote sarcastic comments like “One of her Birkins equals my year’s tuition,” while others demanded answers: “If there’s nothing to hide, why disappear?” Images of her luxury cars, such as a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon rumoured to cost PHP25 million, and designer bags added to the criticism and left many feeling it was out of touch, especially given the country’s economic gap.
This is not the only time Co has faced controversy. In 2023, she posted a public apology after backlash for allegedly objectifying BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim in one of her videos. The current situation, however, has led to stronger calls for her to be included in any probe into her family’s businesses.
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Since shutting down her YouTube and Instagram, Claudine Co’s sisters Heart, Bianca, and former BHW Party-list Representative Angelica “Nikka” Co have also made their profiles private, which sparked even more theories about a deliberate move. As one Threads user put it, “It’s not shame, it’s so nothing can be used as evidence,” hinting at concerns around the timing of these actions.
This story has brought wider public frustration into focus, especially regarding political families and their children. Other influencers like Lemuel Lubiano, Co’s partner, who also has family ties to government contractors, are now under similar attention.
Comments by Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto about the privileges of the wealthy, along with President Marcos’s visit to an unfinished flood control project in Bulacan, have fuelled the public’s demand for greater transparency.
For Claudine Co, whose online style once served as inspiration to many, the backlash has exposed how quickly online popularity can turn when linked to family disputes and controversies.
As one Reddit user said, “Her vlogs were once style inspiration, now they’re just seen as political.” It remains unclear if Claudine Co will speak out or return to the public sphere, but her story has become a key part of the country’s ongoing conversation about wealth and responsibility.
