What started as a social experiment for a vlog turned into a life-changing encounter for Ivana Alawi, after she crossed paths with a street dweller known as Kuya Hesus. The vlog, which quickly touched the hearts of viewers, showed Ivana receiving an unexpected act of generosity from someone who barely had anything for himself.
The vlog began as one of Ivana’s usual social experiments, with the actress disguising herself as a pregnant woman in distress and walking through public spaces to observe how people would react. That day, one of the first to notice her was Kuya Hesus, a street dweller quietly counting the few coins he had left.
Without being asked, Kuya Hesus offered Ivana ₱10 from the ₱15 he was holding, telling her to eat and even suggesting she ask for extra soup so the food would last longer. The gesture caught Ivana off guard not because of the amount, but because it came from someone who clearly needed it himself.
In a recent interview with journalist Bernadette Sembrano on December 20, Ivana opened about the story behind the “Buntis” vlog that unexpectedly changed the direction of her day and the life of a man she met on the street.
Looking back, Ivana said the meeting him felt more than just a coincidence. “Actually, feeling ko pinagtagpo talaga kami. Kasi when I do pranks, wala akong alam kung anong mangyayari, kung saan ako dalhin,” she shared, explaining that every shoot unfolds without a script or plan.
The encounter stayed with her long after filming ended. The content creator admitted that she could not shake the moment from her mind, even as the day came to a close.
“He really touched my heart, hanggang pagtulog hindi ko siya makalimutan. So next day binalikan ko siya and then nalaman ko na may pamilyang nahihintay at naghahanap sa kaniya,” she said.
“Wala po kaming research. Kung saan maluwang na pwede kaming mag-video, mag-park ng car para sa mga tagong camera, nandoon lang kami,” she explained, underscoring how spontaneous the encounter truly was.
The actress also said that she does not have a bodyguard during such shoots, which often worries her team. Her driver, at one point, became increasingly anxious as he watched the situation unfold with Kuya Hesus.
“Biglang lumapit yung driver eh ayaw niyang mangialam kasi bawal. Pag nags-shoot kami bawal [mangialam], kung may mangyari, bahala na. Kasi sabi niya nakikita niya so natakot siya.” Still, Ivana said she felt a sense of calm while talking to Kuya Hesus so they kept the cameras rolling. “Pero ako kasi nung kausap ko si Kuya Hesus, kalma. So I know mabuti siya na hindi mananakit.”
As she reflected on the timing of their meeting, Ivana found meaning in the smallest details, underscoring how purposeful it was to meet Kuya Hesus who happens to have a biblical name closely tied to Filipinos.
“Kasi December [at] Christmas tapos yung name niya Kuya Hesus. Hindi ko nga alam na Hesus yung name niya. Tapos yun pala meron kaming purpose na ibalik siya sa pamilya niya,” she said.
According to Ivana, the encounter brought back the values she grew up with. She recalled that giving has always been part of her family’s life even at the midst of hardships. “Ever since po kasi yung family ko, yung mom ko especially, laging namimigay ng pera. Kahit wala na nga kaming makain namimigay pa rin siya, So doon ko nakita na ang sarap mamigay.”
With this, she revealed that all her earnings on YouTube are given to charity or those in need, saying why she chooses to give back to the community.
“Especially YouTube, parang for me I have enough. I have other work, doon ko na kinukuha kapag may gusto akong bilhin na gamit or whatever. Pero yung sa YouTube, as in lahat binabalik ko na sa mga tao kasi para sa kanila naman talaga.”
In a recent update, Ivana shared that they were able to locate Kuya Hesus’s family and bring him home to Bicol, where he was reunited with his mother and siblings. She also helped him get a fresh start by gifting him land worth ₱500,000 and providing livestock, promising to continue supporting him as he rebuilds his life.