The Curse of Social Media

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In Thoughts Between the Lines, I usually avoid writing about politics or religion—these topics are fiery, and people almost always hold opposing views. But sometimes, silence feels too much like indifference, and that’s not what a good citizen ought to be. So let me say this upfront: what follows is not political analysis, just one Filipino’s reflection—served with a bit of humor—on how recent events have unfolded.

The denials were loud. “I’ve never been involved!” they declared. “This is baseless!” they swore. As the flood control scam unraveled—with trillions and billions of pesos and familiar names floating in the filth—the chorus of “hindi ako ‘yan!” was deafening, not to mention the highly acclaimed  Acting Award postures in both chambers.

There’s just one tiny problem. The internet never forgets.  The curse wasn’t triggered by watchdogs or court hearings. It was delivered by videos, screenshots, memes, and a collective public memory sharper than an investigator’s file.

The same tool that inflated egos is now deflating careers. What they once used to build an image of untouchable power is the very thing tearing it apart.  It was their own making. Before the floods, before the exposés, our “public servants,” and contractors lived in a different universe—bragging was practically a national pastime.

Some of the many clips are now delivered and circulating on the Net.

·         A showed off a 40-car luxury collection. Not a garage, a showroom.

·         A tour of a palatial house with gold and silver decor and a reception area that can outshine a hotel lobby.  

·         The pièce de résistance: a $1M diamond ring for the exclaiming missus, immortalized in a video interview.

·         And of course, the unforgettable stunt—bringing ₱1M in cash to a restaurant just to pay a ₱100k bill. I guess for him, credit cards are for mere mortals.

·         Planes and helicopters are ready at their immediate disposal. Traffic is for the rest of us.

·         And even a hotel worth almost a billion pesos—a “sideline business?”

Every post was a new episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless. “Connect the dots”, remarked a senator.

Now,  the script has flipped. After successive typhoons and biblical floods, investigations point straight to ghost projects, unfinished and poor-quality projects, and padded contracts. Suddenly, those same “buhayas”  are rebranding:
“We live simply.” “We earn only 2% to 3%, at times, “Lugi pa”, apparently, corruption is a charity project now.”

Here’s the real kicker: They already incriminated themselves—on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok.

Netizens, with the precision of digital archaeologists, are reposting every single pasikat post.

 

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