By NADZ RUIZ AND JASMINE SHEWAKRAMANI
MANILA: What
makes a Twitter trend, well, trend?
As it is loosely
defined, the trending topics show what is buzzworthy in a particular area at
any given time. In this way, the 9.5 million Filipinos using the social
microblogging site tell the world what is on their mind in ten keywords or
hashtags.
This year, the
Philippine trending topics have seen a lot of action. Besides fan clubs
fervently trying to make their favorite celebrities popular, and people asking
for #25factsabout you, Filipino tweeps have used Twitter as an avenue to
discuss timely national issues and personalities, as well as to encourage
action.
Here are some of
the newsworthy Twitter trends that we won’t forget this year.
1. #ReliefPH and
#RescuePH -- The “storm with no name” took Metro Manila and nearby provinces by
surprise with almost a week of non-stop rain and consequently, a great deal of
flooding throughout the region. The torrential rains were brought about by the
habagat which was intensified by a storm outside the PAR.
During the
week-long deluge, people used Twitter and Facebook as means to inform the media and other concerned government
agencies of their situation as well as to
ask help for their relatives and communities.
Government
encouraged media and netizens alike to use the unified hashtags #ReliefPH and #RescuePH to better track
places that needed relief and rescue. Non- government organizations also helped
by creating databases that would track the
status of requests made via Twitter using the hashtag. It just goes to
show that even the smallest initiative--a
hashtag--could do a world of good when used for
the right reasons.
2. #SottoCopy and
#Sinotto -- The hashtag #Sinotto emerged amid plagiarism accusations against
Sen Tito Sotto. At first, the hashtag was used for tweets containing famous quotes
or song lyrics that were translated from English to Filipino and vice versa as
tweeps mocked Sen Sotto's alleged translation of parts of US Pres Kennedy's
speech into Filipino without attribution.
As other
variations of #Sinotto came about like #Sottocopy, #Sottonism, and others, the
hashtag was then meant to refer to anything plagiarized or copied without
proper attribution.
More than being a
testament to Filipino humor and originality, the creation and use of #Sinotto
showed how the online community can spur mass actions on controversial
issues.
3. #PacBradley
and #PacMarquez - There is a joke that when Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao has
a fight, the crime rate in the Philippines drastically goes down for one day
because everyone is glued to their TVs.
This year, Pacman
faced off with Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in two epic fights that
had netizens glued to their smartphones too, as they followed the flurry of
live tweets.
This wasn’t
Pacman’s year, however, as he lost both fights. As expected, dejected Pinoy
tweeps took to the trending topics to show their support for Pacman.
When Pacquiao
lost to Bradley via unanimous decision, #RIPBoxing took the top spot on the
trending topics, with fans showing their disgust over what they called a
questionable decision.
Meanwhile, the
term “Manny Pacquiao” and the hashtag #FilipinoPride trended worldwide immediately after the bout with
Marquez, with the latter staying at the top
spot for hours.
4. #AMALAYER --
Maybe it was just bad luck that Paula Jamie Salvosa's public argument with a
lady security guard at the LRT Santolan station was caught on camera.
The cellphone
video went viral on Facebook on the same day and garnered more than 68,000
shares and 17,000 shares. On Twitter, the hashtag #AMALAYER, which came from
Salvosa’s pronunciation of “I’m a liar” trended both worldwide in the
Philippines for days as netizens reacted angrily to the incident.
A lot of
discussion ensued afterward about cyberbullying, and if the video should have
been posted publicly online at all, given that viewers will make judgments
about what was filmed, without knowing the context of the incident. Paula
Salvosa did air her side that same day, saying she was not treated well by the
guard and that was what caused the confrontation.
Nevertheless, we
all learned something from #Amalayer: a reminder to all how to conduct
ourselves in public, in an age where anything can be uploaded online.
5.
#MsPHILIPPINESforMsUniverse2012 -- Still reeling after the devastating effects
of Typhoon Pablo as well as Pacman’s second loss, many Filipinos were looking
for a morale boost--and they found it in Janine Mari Tugnonon, the country’s representative
to this year’s Miss Universe Pageant.
Tweeps were
quickly charmed by Janine’s grace and poise that was evident throughout the
entire competition. The local trending topics were on fire with well-wishes for
the 20-year old beauty, who seemed to have a great chance of bringing home the
Miss Universe title. Even if she didn’t get the crown (and settled for a
still-impressive 1st runner-up finish), Janine’s fans catapulted her to Twitter
fame. Miss Philippines trended worldwide after the coronation and stayed on the
trends for hours afterward.
6. Jessica
Sanchez - For the first time in American Idol history, a Filipina came through
to the Top 2. This Filipina-Mexican-American powerhouse became a fan favorite
and a serious contender for the American Idol title.
Jessica Sanchez
blew away the crowd and the judges, even impressing Jennifer Lopez so much that
she saved the 16-year-old from elimination. Filipinos in the US and in the
Philippines rallied behind her on Twitter especially on Finals night. While
Jessica did not win American Idol, her fans made sure that the Twitterverse
knew how proud they are of her as her name trended for hours after the
competition.
7. Salamat Dolphy
and Salamat Jesse - 2012 saw the country grieve for two Filipino icons. One was
an exemplary public servant while the other was the Philippines’ Comedy King.
On July 10, 2012,
it was curtains down for Comedy King Dolphy after a long battle with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tears were shed not only by Dolphy’s
family, which lost a father, but also by the whole Filipino nation which lost
an icon who had given so much joy in times of hardships. Words of condolences
poured out both online and offline. During Dolphy’s wake and especially during
his funeral, Salamat Dolphy trended on Twitter as Filipinos continued to
reminisce on the Comedy King’s colorful life as well as offer words of comfort
to his family.
A month after the
Comedy King’s death, the nation found themselves once again grieving for a man
who was the epitome of a true public servant. On August 18, 2012, media
organizations broke news that the plane carrying DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo
crashed off the island of Masbate.
For two days, the
Filipino people shared the Robredo family’s anxiety as they maintained the hope
of finding the secretary still alive. The Philippine government put into action
intense search and rescue operations for the former Naga mayor whose “tsinelas
leadership” earned the nation’s admiration and respect. As the nation waited
for news on TV, radio, and print, netizens also turned to Twitter for updates
as well as offer their concern for Sec. Jesse. When search and rescue teams
finally recovered the plane wreckage along with the confirmation that the
secretary has perished in the accident, tweets of sympathy poured out. “Salamat
Jesse” and other related hashtags and key words trended on Twitter during his
wake in Malacanang and especially during his state funeral in Naga City.
8. #RHbill and
#SinTaxBill -- It has been a monumental year for the Reproductive Health and
Sin Tax Bills, both of which have been passed into law before 2012 ended. It
was a welcome gift to those who have been lobbying for its passage--not just
the lawmakers themselves, but those who took to Twitter to express their
opinions about the law, whether pro or anti.
The hashtags
#RHBill and #SinTaxBill were mainstays on the local trending topics for much of
the second half of the year. While politicians debated various parts of the law
in their sessions, netizens also kept up the debate on Twitter.
9. #CJTrial - With
a vote of 20-3 in the Senate, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato C. Corona was
convicted for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine
Constitution and was duly impeached from the highest position in the Philippine
justice system.
The impeachment
trial and the conviction were historic--the first time a chief justice was
ousted. Such an important event was closely followed by the media, even
broadcasting every session live on national TV. As people tuned in to their TV
sets, netizens also saw the trial unfold on Twitter. Media organizations as
well as political analysts and other government watchdogs captured the drama
via livetweets, bringing the fiery exchanges among prosecution, defense, and
judges to netizens everywhere.
Twitter buzz on
the trial notably spiked on ex-CJ Corona’s testimony and finally on judgment
day. Impeachment trial-related hashtags trended early in the morning, lasted
for hours throughout the day and even after the Senate President has put down
his gavel. Tweeps also hung on the words of every senator-judge, particularly
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago with her ferocious wit and humor and Sen. Juan
Ponce Enrile’s wisdom-laden statements.
The amount of
attention (and the volume of tweets) generated by the impeachment trial not
only on Twitter but on social media showed the increasing number of Filipinos
who keep themselves updated with political and national issues.
10. #WalangPasok
-- May pasok ba? is one of the first questions people ask when it’s raining
hard outside or when there are news of storms and floods. Before, people would
wait for announcements of suspensions on TV or radio, but with the changing
times, many were waiting for official news via Twitter.
As a way for
tweeps to easily keep track of these announcements, the PCDSPO encouraged
schools, LGUs, and news organizations to use #WalangPasok as a unified hashtag
for tweets on class and work suspensions.#WalangPasok was even eventually used
as a way to track upcoming special and regular holidays.
11. #MalingMali
-- What are the things in society that people deem wrong but still do anyway?
It turned out there were a lot, according to tweeps who joined in trending
#malingmali on Twitter, as they aired their grievances that ranged from relationship
problems to rude MRT passengers to epal politicians.
The hashtag was
conceptualized by GMA News as part of the Dapat Tama campaign, advocating the
need for an informed voting public for the upcoming elections. It was a
success, even taking a spot on the worldwide trending topics. GMA hopes through
this initiative, voters will be reminded to do what is right this election
season, and even influence candidates to do the same.
12.
#itsmorefuninthePhilippines -- Why is it more fun in the Philippines? Locals,
tourists, and netizens tell you why through breathtaking photos and witty
captions.
Recognizing the
potential reach of the internet across the Philippines and beyond, the
Department of Tourism launched a campaign inspired by the virality of memes.
#itsmorefuninthePhilippines trended as tweets and photos quickly popped up as
tweeps outdid each other with their own unique versions of what is truly
"fun in the Philippines". –
KDM, GMA News
