Marcos Jr.'s 'apology' on father's behalf, BTS Twitter account 'breach' and other pranks this April Fool's Day
Ah, it's April 1 already. April Fool's Day, that is.
Whether you like it or not, it's a day marked with shits and giggles as pranksters get a day-whole pass to hornswoggle others with practical jokes and hoaxes. There may also be a build-up of a minimum of one day to pull off the mischief during the much-anticipated occasion.
Mind, however, that there's a fine line between cracking April Fool's Day jokes and peddling disinformation and malicious posts. Neither should the day be used to book fake delivery orders and joke about others' insecurities, trauma, coming out of the closet, pregnancy announcement, mental illness, death, cheating, or catching COVID-19.
That said, a number of personalities have joined in on the fun and bamboozled netizens.
Here are some of the best entries PhilSTAR L!fe has spotted.
Jimin 'hacks' BTS' Twitter account, changes own Instagram's photo
Jimin of K-pop sensation BTS made a splash early in the day as he apparently changed their official Twitter account's name, profile photo, and header to that of his own. All of the seven BTS members have access to the account.
@BTS_twt's profile photo has been turned into baby Jimin, while the header showed him with electric blue hair color. The account's name is also "jimin park" already.
Jimin tweeted using the "compromised" account, which translates to, "I don't know how to change it back to original. I don't know anyway."
His little stunt, however, made him an internet darling. According to Twitter trends tracker trends24, there are already over 86,000 tweets about him in the Philippines alone after the fact.
On Instagram, Jimin also changed his profile picture to that of Bang Sihyuk, founder of their label Big Hit Music and chairman of HYBE Corporation.
Angkas's 'rebranding'
Motorcycle ride-hailing and delivery service app Angkas marked the day with an announcement it's "rebranding."
But alas, its supposed facelift, which made use of green and white hues and Nordique Pro Inline font, unmistakably resembles the logo of fellow ride-hailing app Grab.
"Angkas, your favorite motorcycle-hailing app, is getting a makeover," it said in a post, followed by a nail polish emoji. "We've finally given Angkas a new look as we strive to make a full comeback! See you on the streets, mga ka-Angkas!"
Grab has yet to react to Angkas's post.
'The Morning Rush' going off-air
Monster RX93.1's popular program "The Morning Rush" took the cake so far with its March 31 announcement that it's going off-air already after over 25 years, pulling at the heartstrings of its fans or "Rushers." Its "goodbye" post has over 19,000 reactions, 15,000 of which are "Sad."
The radio station even asked listeners to join its "Farewell Week" from April 4 to 8.
But it's just apparently pulling a prank on them, with hosts Chico Garcia, Hazel Aguilon, and Markki Stroem setting the record straight in Friday's episode, with the befitting theme #NilolokoMoKoEh.
Monster RX93.1 also posted a clarification, assuring its listeners that it will stay on the airwaves "for a long time."
"Your support means so much to us! We love you!" it told fans, followed by a hug emoji.
Blaster Silonga shares reason for 'leaving' IV of Spades
Damn, Blaster.
Blaster Silonga, guitarist of OPM band IV of Spades, broke his silence about "leaving" the band.
Silonga shared a monochrome photo of him holding a four of spades card, with the caption, "BAKIT AKO UMALIS. He also shared a YouTube link "explaining" his departure.
IV Of Spades, composed of Zild Benitez, Silonga, and Badjao De Castro, announced in August 2020 that it'd be taking a hiatus.
“[T]here are more things out there that we should pay attention to and remember that living itself is a blessing,” the band said.
Former frontman Unique Salonga had officially left the band in May 2018 "to continue with his personal endeavors."
Benitez, who filled in Salonga's shoes, pursued a solo career in June 2020.
Silonga, who already goes by his mononym Blaster, also made his solo debut in September 2021. He's also working with a new band called The Celestial Klownz.
Well, see for yourself why he "left" IV of Spades.
Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. 'apologizes' for father's felonies
Just when you thought it's impossible, presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has "apologized" to the Filipino people for the atrocities that happened during his father Ferdinand Marcos's regime — in the form of a meme, at least.
Facebook page "Memes ni Stephen laban sa Depression at Stress," which has over 22,000 likes, shared an edited photo of Marcos Jr. and his would-be April Fool's Day statement that's as legit as the Tallano gold.
"It was my father's mistake, he was very inhumane during his administration, stole the money of the people and tyranny," Marcos Jr. supposedly said. The dark period in Philippine history saw 70,000 people detained, 34,000 tortured, and 3,240 killed according to Amnesty International.
"I do not condone this kind of action," Marcos Jr.'s imaginary quote continued, adding that he will supposedly "find a way" to pay for his family's P203 billion estate tax and "return the stolen goods" to the government.
During the 2016 vice-presidential debates, Marcos Jr. had this to say when asked if he's willing to apologize on behalf of his father: "I have said this before and I will say it again: I will apologize for any wrongdoing that I may have done and any mistake that will have caused anyone any pain or hardship. But I can only apologize for myself."
A Marcos Jr. apology may be a flight of fancy, a far-fetched idea, or a pipe dream for many in the meantime, but who knows if the good ol' son and namesake of the deposed dictator will have a change of heart in the future?