The Facebook page of the Batangas office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) went viral for its unconventional earthquake-related posts.
DOST is the parent agency of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology which monitors earthquakes, volcanos and tsunamis.
Its Batangas office on Monday, January 20 caught Filipinos’ attention for how it updated residents about a tremor that struck the coast of Calatagan at 6:43 p.m.
Reports said a 5.4-magnitude earthquake was felt by locals, which was considered moderate to strong.
Intensities were also felt in areas as far as Quezon City in Metro Manila.
RELATED: 5.4-magnitude quake jolts Batangas, affects Quezon City
“Opo, lumindol. Wait for updates,” the DOST Batangas said on Facebook at that time.
The post has since been edited to another status but screengrabs of it continue to circulate online.
Screengrab of an edit history of a Facebook post by the Department of Science and Techonology Batangas as posted on Jan. 20, 2025 (DOST Batangas via Facebook)
It was later edited to read as the following:
“Thank you for engaging with us! We hope that your engagement translates into a deeper love for Science, Technology, and Innovation!”
It was accompanied with a winking emoji and a”#iykyk” hashtag.
“iykyk” translates to “If you know, you know,” an internet slang.
“Kung ganun daw ba dapat mag-update ng lindol? Alangan naman pong ‘Juskupo, Juskupo!’ Follow our page, sagot namin ang S&T [Science and Technology] updates!” it said in another post.
It was later edited to the following: “‘Juskupo, Juskupo!’ #iykyk
Follow our page, sagot namin ang S&T updates!”
The unconventional posts caught the attention of Filipinos, with some playing along with the unserious tone.
“Ganito na ba ang proper ng pag-update??” a Facebook user commented on its viral “opo, lumindol” status.
“Sorry, nataranta din,” the admin of the page responded, earning laughing reactions.
“Hacked ata ang DOST page. Or heartbroken lang ang Admin?” another user speculated with laughing emojis.
“Hindi po hacked. Yung heartbroken, ahmmmm,” the admin of the page quipped.
Some also wondered if the admin would be booted out following the unconventional posts.
“Sana may work pa po bukas ang admin nitong page,” a Facebook user wrote with laughing emojis.
“UPDATE: ‘Di po natanggal,” the admin responded with a smiling emoji.
While the page only went viral recently, it had other posts in the past that used trending expressions.
“Suspek, Suspek!!!” it said in a January 13 post which featured its contact information.
“Komedyante o hindi, deserve ng upgrade sa… Ne-Go-Go-Gosyo,” it also said in a January 10 post that featured a publication material with the image of comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto, who is known for her “Go, go, go!” catchphrase.
Social media pages and accounts run by government agencies are known to have sober and serious tones in their posts. It is rare for them to convey messages using slang or with an informal tone.
As of Tuesday, January 22, the DOST Batangas issued a statement clarifying its unconventional posts.
“We acknowledge the concern raised regarding our recent Facebook post about the occurrence of an earthquake. The post was made to provide timely information and prompt our audience to stay updated. Additionally, we admit that we have incorporated a trending line that resonates with today’s digital culture,” it said.
“We wish to clarify that our intention was never to downplay the seriousness of earthquakes or undermine the credibility of our organization, particularly the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Earthquakes are a critical matter, and we deeply respect the role of PHIVOLCS in ensuring public safety and awareness,” the office added.
“If the tone or context of the post was misconstrued, we sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding it may have caused,” it further said.
Likewise, we sincerely extend our apologies to PHIVOLCS for this incident and assure everyone that we will be more mindful in crafting our communications, all with the aim of fostering a deeper appreciation for science, technology, and innovation among Filipinos,” the DOST Batangas added.
