The relentless public glare that falls upon elected officials rarely stops at the office door; it invariably extends to their family members, binding them to a standard of conduct and integrity that transcends their personal lives. This unique reality was recently articulated by Frances Diane Domagoso, the daughter of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, who found herself navigating the intersection of fashion and politics during Chris Nick’s show at Manila Fashion Week 2025 on October 17.
The 25-year-old influencer, accustomed to the digital spotlight, was not just there to discuss runway trends. In an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), the conversation quickly turned to the contemporary demand for modest living and financial accountability among political families—a conversation that has gained fever pitch in the Philippines.
The Politician’s Child: A Life Never Truly ‘Off Duty’
Frances Domagoso readily acknowledged the unspoken code that governs the lives of those linked to public service. She admitted that for the child of a politician, one is “never completely off duty about how the family’s integrity is seen.” This ever-present accountability is what led her to publicly endorse the current trend of heightened lifestyle-checking on political figures and their kin.
“I think it’s good,” Frances told the entertainment news outlet. “I do agree that politicians and their families alike should live a very, I guess, humble lifestyle.”
She views the renewed focus on this issue as a positive social development, suggesting it raises the collective consciousness regarding the conduct expected of public servants. “So, I think it’s nice that people are a bit more aware of this now,” she added.
While recognizing the intensity of the scrutiny, the younger Domagoso also offered a nuanced perspective on the fairness of the broad public judgment. “It’s normal that many are getting involved,” she stated, but cautioned against immediate condemnation. “I don’t necessarily think that every child of a politician is guilty of something necessarily, but yeah…”
Ultimately, Frances concluded her remarks by defending her own family’s integrity and work ethic. She expressed pride in her heritage, asserting, “Well, I would like to say that I’m proud of where I come from. I’m proud to be a Domagoso, and I think that we earn our way of living humbly and comfortably. Yeah, that’s what I would say about it.”
The Resurgence of the Lifestyle Check: Legal Mandate Meets Public Outrage
The term “lifestyle check”—a review of a public official’s properties, purchases, and overall way of living to ensure they correspond with their declared income—is currently front and center in the national discourse.
The recent spike in public fervor demanding these checks is not merely a social media phenomenon; it is a direct reaction to a series of high-profile corruption allegations that have shaken public trust. The movement gained significant urgency in the wake of the devastating Philippine Flood Control Corruption Scandal, a trillion-peso controversy that exposed alleged ghost projects and raised serious questions about the luxury assets mysteriously linked to public funds.
As details of the scandal unraveled, disillusioned citizens took the initiative, cross-referencing officials’ reported government salaries and declared incomes with their families’ public displays of wealth—from social media posts featuring sports cars and designer wardrobes to documentation of extravagant overseas vacations. This groundswell of citizen-led oversight transformed the discussion from abstract outrage into tangible demands for accountability.
More critically, this public practice is strongly underpinned by the nation’s legal framework. The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act 6713) provides a clear mandate for this scrutiny.
Section 4(h) of the Act explicitly states that officials and their families “shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income.” The law goes further to impose a clear ethical boundary, directing them to “shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth.” This legal directive transforms the public’s current demand for modesty from a moral plea into an enforcement of the law, underscoring the legal requirement for public servants and their immediate families to adhere to a lifestyle that respects the limits of their official earnings.
The comments made by Frances Domagoso reflect a growing understanding among political families that the era of private luxury shielded from public scrutiny is rapidly drawing to a close. As the nation demands greater transparency in the wake of massive infrastructure scandals, the line between an official’s public duty and a family member’s private life has become increasingly blurred, requiring all those linked to government to embrace an elevated standard of humility and public accountability.
