08/08/2025
๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
Thereโs no undo button in real life. Once words are spoken, especially the careless kind, they can't be taken back. Like fire catching on dry grass, gossip spreads quickly and recklessly, often causing damage before anyone realizes it. In Filipino culture, gossip is usually brushed off as something lightโjust a harmless ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฌ๐ข, or a typical โMaritesโ moment. But behind that harmless image is a culture that, if weโre not careful, can leave behind broken trust, ruined reputations, and people silently hurting.
In the Philippines, itโs common to hear stories passed around between neighbors, classmates, colleagues, or even family members. We call it ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ด๐ฎ๐ช๐ด; but over the years, it became something bigger. That everyday act of rumor-sharing has turned into what many now call ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆโa name that may sound funny or innocent but actually reflects a deeper problem. This culture became even more visible during the pandemic, when people spent more time online and used social media to stay connected and entertained, as noted by Cuadra in a 2023 article.
And while the label "๐๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ๐ด" makes it easy to laugh about gossip, it doesnโt change the fact that it often turns someoneโs personal life into a show for everyone to watch and judge. Today, gossip doesnโt stay between two people. It is practiced in group chats, Facebook comments, and even TikTok videos. And worse, most of the time, people donโt even know if what theyโre spreading is true. ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐ท๐๐ฑ๐ด๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐, ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐. We treat it like itโs fun, but the impact can be serious.
For the people on the receiving end of those rumors, itโs not fun at all. Whether itโs a student caught in a misunderstanding or someone whose name got dragged into something online, the result is the sameโstress, anxiety, and feeling unsafe. Victims are expected to just brush it off and laugh along, but deep down, it can hurt their confidence, ruin friendships, or affect their mental health and identity. What others see as simple chika might feel like bullying to someone else or worse โ legally identified as oral defamation.
If we really want to be part of a kinder, more respectful community, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ. A few questions can go a long way: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? Instead of using our curiosity to spread someoneโs business, why not use it to check in on them or understand the full context? Being concerned doesnโt mean being nosy. In a world where everyone has something to say, maybe what we need more of is someone willing to listen or stay quiet when thereโs nothing good to say.
Marites Culture might seem like just a part of everyday life, but if we really look at it, it tells us something about how we treat each other. Gossip is more than just curiosity; itโs sometimes about control, amusement, or judgment. And while we can delete a post or unsend a message, we canโt take back what we say in real life. Thatโs why we need to be more careful with our words. After all, the power of our words isn't just in what we say but in knowing when and when not to say it.
Written by Gwyneth Beyonce Cuaycong
Illustrated by Jenny Dorimon
