Filipinos called for respect for deceased matinee idol Rico Yan as social media posts showing his tomb being visited appeared to become a trend.
TikTok clips of the late actor being visited in his resting place at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City have been going viral among Pinoys.
@trendingchikaph HAHAHAHHAHAHA BAKIT GINAWA NIYONG TOURIST SPOT SI RICO YAN??? #fyp #ricoyan #claudinebarretto ♬ original sound – Mikhaela Janna Jimenea Lim
@ethniquez lucky that i’m just 1.4 km away from him 💋 #ricoyan #rycb #fyp #ricoclaudine #fyppplpppppppppppppppppppp #ricoyanclaudinebarreto #rico #claudinebarretto ♬ I’ve Fallen for You – Jamie Rivera
@sweetly.cel After 23yrs, i finally visited Rico Yan for the first in my life🥹❤️ #ricoyan #rycb #rycbforever #fyp ♬ I’ve Fallen for You – Jamie Rivera
There are also Facebook users sharing their visit to Rico’s gravesite.
The exact reason why and how visiting Rico’s grave became a trend remains unknown, although it has caught the attention of some Filipinos who reminded others to keep the visit respectful and not just for the sake of content.
“You know what? Wala naman talagang masama kung dadalawin mo ‘yung puntod ng namatay na tao because you idolize him, but going there just for views [or] content [or] masabi lang na Rico fan ka [or] pang clout is just a big NO,” a Pinoy on Reddit said on July 8.
“Respeto naman para sa namatay, you may admire him and go to his grave, but please, behave. Gosh,” the Redditor continued.
A Facebook page dedicated to Rico and his former girlfriend, Claudine Barretto, also called out social media users who are visiting the actor’s grave for content and not to pay tribute to the actor.
“But we are also here to call out people, social media pages, and accounts who use Rico Yan only for clout and entertainment purposes. We are asking you to please stop it. May we continue remembering him with nothing but love [and] RESPECT,” the page “Rico Yan and Claudine Barretto” said.
“Lastly, huwag sana natin gawin katatawanan ang pagdalaw ng mga taga-hanga ni Rico sa kanya. May iilan na kaming nakita na jina-judge ng iba ang pag-dalaw ng ibang fans niya sa kanya kahit wala naman ginagawang masama ang mga ito. There is nothing wrong with visiting his grave, as long as we do it with courtesy,” the page added.
“At para naman sa mga pumunta at ibinahagi ito sa social media without any sincerity and for personal gain, please stop it. Sa uulitin, hindi na po tama. Rico deserves to be respected. Everyone deserves to be respected. Please spread positivity and love in the RIGHT way. If you are a real fan of Rico Yan, you are — and should be — a respectful one,” it said.
The matinee idol
Rico, one of the most famous actors in the ’90s and early 2000s, passed away at the young age of 27 on March 29, 2002 due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis resulting in cardiac arrest.
The police said they ruled out foul play and self-harm, noting that the actor died “in his sleep.”
Rico was found dead in his room by his friend, fellow actor Dominic Ochoa, during their vacation at the Dos Palmas Resort in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan amid Holy Week.
Dominic said that there were no indications the night before that Rico looked ill. The late actor “enjoyed himself just like everyone else” during a party at that time.
Rico’s sudden passing resulted in a large funeral, with around 20,000 people attending the event on April 4, 2002.
Fans and spectators filled sidewalks along the route, some even coming from provinces.
ABS-CBN, his home network, also did a six-hour coverage, from the necrological mass to the burial in the cemetery.
Rico began his career in the entertainment industry as a commercial model.
He eventually landed among Star Circle’s first batch of talents alongside Regine Tolentino, Cholo Escaño, Trisha Salvador, Victor Neri, Jacqui Manzano and Maricel Morales.
In 1996, Rico appeared in the youth-oriented show “Gimik” and the films “Radio Romance,” “Ama, Ina, Anak” and “Madrasta.”
He was later paired with Claudine, who became his offscreen girlfriend for four years.
Rico’s filmography includes “Got 2 Believe,” “Mula Sa Puso: The Movie,” “Paano Ang Puso Ko?,” “Flames: The Movie,” “Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita,” “Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay” and “Gimik: The Reunion.”
He also appeared in the television series “Mara Clara,” “Esperanza,” “FLAMES,” “Whattamen” and in “Star Drama Presents,” among others.
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