Category Archives: Social Media

Like Colony, Like Colonial Master: West Philippine Sea Vs. Gulf Of America

In 2012, then-Philippine President Noynoy Aquino boldly renamed parts of the South China Sea as the “West Philippine Sea,” as if sovereignty could be established with a simple administrative order. Over a decade later, a Google Maps search for WPS yields nothing but disappointment.

Fast forward to 2025, and the world witnesses an eerily similar yet vastly different spectacle: U.S. President Donald Trump, in a dazzling display of executive audacity, renames the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” Unlike Aquino’s renaming attempt, which faded into digital oblivion, Trump’s decree is instantly honored by Google Maps. Within minutes, Americans celebrate their newfound ownership of international waters, while Mexicans stare in disbelief at their now cartographically displaced coastline.

Moral of the story? No head of state can unilaterally rename islands and seas—unless, of course, your name is Donald Trump. It seems that in geopolitics, much like in real estate, branding is everything, but only the right people get to do the naming. The Philippines may have taken inspiration from its former colonial master (or is it vice versa?) but clearly, it still lacks the imperial privilege to dictate global maps. Like colony, like colonial master—except one actually gets results.

A Sticky Protest Against Rising Food Prices

Americans have recently discovered a surprisingly sticky way to express their civic outrage at rising grocery prices: affixing bold stickers proclaiming “Trump did this!” directly onto price tags. In this ingenious display of grassroots accountability, even a can of soup becomes a billboard for blame, demonstrating that no product is too humble to carry a political message. 

Perhaps we Filipinos might take a leaf from their adhesive playbook. Imagine strolling through a wet market where every tomato, onion, chili, and even every grain of rice sports a sticker that shouts, “The Administration did this!” Such a move would transform everyday shopping into an impromptu protest, turning our markets into living, breathing forums of political dissent. 

And while we’re at it, why not have political candidates replace gaudy billboards and expensive campaign flyers with tiny stickers declaring, “I will fix this”? After all, market-going Pinoys are a significant slice of the electorate, ready to cast their vote—one sticker at a time. 

In an era where blame is as sticky as the adhesive on a price tag, maybe our politics needs a little more…stickiness too. Evidently, these budget-driven sticker protests could swiftly transform political accountability into a quirky, adhesive revolution for modern, thriving democracy.

A Tulfo Dynasty In The Making

Ex-Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo appears to be riding the well-trodden runway of career portability, as she transforms her former post into a launchpad for political ambitions. 

Under the banner of “Tulfo Para sa Turismo,” her campaign reminds us that the Department of Tourism already champions travel, yet apparently the nation still craves another tourism spokesperson—this time, one whose itinerary includes Congress. With a nod to the familiar allure of name recognition, her strategy smacks of a cleverly disguised attempt to weave a Tulfo dynasty into the fabric of Filipino politics. 

Picture the spectacle: three Tulfos gracing the Senate and another embellishing the House of Representatives. It seems her vision of representation is less about promoting travel and more about orchestrating a family affair. 

In a performance where her former title becomes a luggage tag for political baggage, the Tulfo train chugs steadily toward an inevitable destination—an overcrowded Congress station. Unquestionably.