Counting the days before people drop in their ballots, a pop culture reference has paved the way for a pink billboard to take over the Skyway. So if you came from the South during the Holy Week, you might have passed by this one.
Memes, songs, and other new-generation icons have shaped the way Filipinos show support for their candidates.
Over the years, the Korean Wave has taken the country by storm. According to Rappler, the Philippines has the third-highest number of K-pop fans in the world. In line with the current happenings in the K-Community, fans are always anticipating the next big thing for their idols – may it be a comeback, a new release, or a new K-Drama.
Inspired by how fans openly send their love, a billboard was used to send a secret message in plain sight.
Right beside the Metro Manila Skyway (Southbound) near the tollgate entrance, a huge pink sign with foreign characters was mounted for passersby to see.
Netizens couldn’t help but notice. They even had their own conspiracies. Here are some of their posts:
But it didn’t take too long for someone to reveal the real meaning of the billboard:
According to the tweet, the billboard can be loosely translated to “we need something new.” It was explained that it was in support of Leni Robredo’s presidency and the whole pink movement. With just a short phrase, something was brought to light as the Filipinos elect new officials this May – a demand for a better and brighter Philippines. Who wouldn’t want that? The next 6 years will depend on people’s votes.
It’s not enough that people are taking it to the streets because now, we have billboards to take it to the next level. So make sure to keep your windows open on your next drive on the Skyway. (You never know, you might see a new one next week!)
With a few more weeks to go, everyone is ramping up their campaign efforts. Be on the lookout for more works like this.