‘Nepo baby’ uproar in Philippines after Gen Z jet-setter named urban poor commissioner
Por Sam Beltran — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement The Philippines This Week in Asia People ‘Nepo baby’ uproar in Philippines after Gen Z jet-setter named urban poor commissioner
The government has defended the appointment of Zofia Canlas amid public concern about her lavish lifestyle, qualifications and connections
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Sam Beltran Published: 5:27pm, 21 Oct 2026 A Gen Z jet-setter in the Philippines has been named commissioner for the urban poor, raising eyebrows over her qualifications for a position dealing with issues such as food and housing insecurity.
Zofia Canlas took her oath as commissioner for the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) on Monday, but drew widespread attention for social media photos depicting a fashion-forward lifestyle and lavish getaways, such as posing in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and other trips around Europe and the United States.
Canlas, 27, graduated from De La Salle University Manila with a medical biology degree in 2024. She ran as a nominee for the Batang Quiapo party-list in the 2025 midterm elections but lost, before becoming chief of staff at the PCUP in July that year.
She is the daughter of Jose Marcell Canlas, who reportedly serves as an assistant secretary under the Office of the Executive Secretary, according to the Office of the President’s website.
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