In a nation known for its tropical storms, Filipinos have found a new tempest to weather: the shocking separation of showbiz royalty Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. 

After an 11-year romantic saga, the duo confirmed their split, unleashing a hailstorm of a national preoccupation that rivaled even the fiercest typhoons.

Suddenly, everyone from gossip queens like Cristy Fermin and the pseudo-journalists of Rapppler, to political figures like Leila de Lima and Rowena Guanzon had an opinion on the #KathNiel break-up. Sharon Cuneta chimed in as if her social media account held the secret to universal harmony. Netizens, never to be outdone, flooded the internet with “Pray for Kath” memes, treating the situation as if the showbiz world had just been hit by a devastating tsunami.

The absurdity reached new heights when calls emerged for a special non-working holiday, as if the nation needed time off to collectively mourn the demise of Kathniel. 

Daniel’s mom, herself a celebrity, just had to have the last word… unless of Congress decides to conduct a legislative hearing on the split, in aid of legislation.

In this theatrical soap opera, it seems even the weather couldn’t escape the chaos of celebrity romance.