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Diwata (entrepreneur)
Filipino entrepreneur and internet personality (born 1982) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Deo Jarito Balbuena (born August 31, 1982), also known as Diwata,[1][2] is a Filipino internet personality, food vlogger,[3][4] entrepreneur,[5] and advocate within the LGBTQ+ community.[6] Best known for his business Diwata Pares Overload,[7] Balbuena is also one of the nominees of Vendors Partylist (Vendors Samahan ng mga Maninindang Pilipino) for the 2025 Philippine House of Representatives elections.[8]
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Biography
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Balbuena was born on August 31, 1982 in Northern Samar.[9] At the age of 17, Balbuena ventured to Metro Manila in pursuit of opportunities, completing secondary education at Don Juan F. Avalon National High School in San Roque, Northern Samar. Initially employed as a beautician, Diwata later diversified into trading, vending coffee, cigarettes, and candies, alongside construction work to supplement income. Diwata's pares business has garnered significant attention on social media for its perceived value, offering a comprehensive meal package for ₱100, inclusive of unlimited rice, soup, and a soft drink.[6][10][11]
Before gaining prominence as a notable food vendor, Diwata initially gained attention as a contestant on the "Miss Q and A" segment of the Philippine television program It's Showtime in 2019.[5][6][12]
In April 2024, he revealed in his vlog that he began taping for Batang Quiapo as its new cast member.[13][14]
Diwata ran in the 2025 Philippine House of Representatives elections as fourth nominee for the Vendors Partylist, an organization seeking party-list representation.[15] However, the party-list failed to secure a seat.
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Controversies
In 2016, Balbuena first went viral for his strut at the police station after being involved in an incident where he reported two acquaintances using illegal drugs beneath J.W. Diokno Bridge in Pasay.[16] The complaint escalated into a physical altercation, during which Balbuena was wounded on his forehead and arm with a cutter by the person he had reported.[6][17]
On April 16, 2024, Balbuena was arrested in connection with a slight physical injury case filed against him in 2018.[1] He was released the same day after posting bail of ₱3,000.[4][18]
On February 28, 2025, Diwata apologized after pictures of him wearing indigenous costumes were criticized along with inappropriate gestures against indigenous peoples in the Cordillera Administrative Region during the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, which called it cultural appropriation.[19]
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Awards
In May 2024, Balbuena was awarded 'Most Sensational Media Personality of the Year' at the Gawad Dangal Filipino Awards 2024[20] and 'Social Media Influencer of the Year' at the Asia's Golden Icon Awards.[21]
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References
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