As 2017 comes to a close, we look back on all the stories that got our attention in the past year.
After giving you a rundown of viral hits people couldn’t get enough of online, we made a collection of the craziest stories we still can’t believe happened.
Here are the top headlines that still make us go “WTF?!”
We dare you not to laugh
One province called their Christmas event ‘gift giving, cum feeding.’ We’re not kidding
2017 was full of crazy stories but this might be the funniest one. Just last week, a banner of a feeding program in Laguna went viral because of a very unfortunate error.
The name of the program? “Gift giving, cum feeding.”
Yep, seriously.
Life imitating art
Supermarket employee jailed for theft of PHP31 can of corned beef released on PHP2,000 bail
Also in December was an incident that sounds like it was ripped right off of Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Miserables.
A supermarket employee stole a can of corned beef worth PHP31 (US$.62) because he was hungry. The crazy part? He was arrested for it and was only released after posting bail worth PHP2,000 (US$39.88).
Like in the novel, a bishop also came to the man’s defense and pointed out the injustice in the situation.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Irresponsible decisions
Father leaves his daughter in forest as punishment; she is still missing
Be thankful your parents never did this to you.
Earlier this month, a 5-year-old girl went missing in Laguna after her father smacked the nape of her neck and left her in the middle of a forest as punishment.
The father wanted to teach her a lesson after she embarrassed him in front of his friends while drinking. Makes perfect sense, right?
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show
Man arrested in movie theater for not standing up during national anthem
Thought your weekend was bad? Imagine being arrested. In a movie theater. While waiting to watch Justice League.
That’s exactly what happened to a guy in Clark, Pampanga, last November because he didn’t stand up when the national anthem was played before the movie.
Although technically illegal, no one really gets arrested for this. Unfortunately for the guy, there was a diplomat in the very same theater who was a stickler for rules.
Pinoy pride?
White People Problems: Florida man convinced he’s Filipino
Ever heard of someone who was transracial? That’s a term used for people who believe they are a different race from what they were born into
For example, a white man living in Florida said in November that although he is American, he identifies as Filipino.
He changed his name to Ja Du and said he rides a “tuk-tuk” everywhere, two things that aren’t exactly Filipino, but insisted that his love for Pinoy music and food makes him Filipino too.
Ending on a low note
Man kills friend after fighting over karaoke
Do not get in the way of a Filipino and karaoke. In November, a man allegedly killed his friend after they fought over a song during a karaoke session.
As weird as this sounds, it is far from the strangest karaoke-related death in the Philippines, where people get riled up over song choices and people singing out of tune.
Mistaken identity
Mom holds funeral for son she thought was dead… except he’s alive and found out about his own funeral on Facebook
Fe Glipo from Sorsogon found out in August that his son Benny Glipo had been shot and killed. She was so sure that it was her son’s body in the funeral parlor but it turned out that her son was alive and well.
They only found out the truth after Benny saw photos of his own wake on Facebook. Thanks, social media?
What’s the buzz?
Gossip, rumormongering now unlawful in Pangasinan town
In January, a village in the province of Pangasinan set up an ordinance that aimed to lessen gossip in the community. The penalty? Community service and a fine as much as PHP1,000 (US$19.94)
Sometimes, it’s better to just shut up.
One cup only
Lawmaker wanted to ban ‘unlimited rice’ promos in restaurants
In June, senator Cynthia Villar caused a firestorm on social media after she told reporters that unlimited rice promos should be banned in restaurants because “we get sick because of unlimited rice.”
But after various memes and negative reactions to her suggestion, Villar clarified that she does not plan on authoring a law to make this ban official. She even shared a meme of her own:
Wala po akong balak ipagbawal o i-ban ang #UnliRice pic.twitter.com/aRELZA7Nvj
— Cynthia Villar (@Cynthia_Villar) June 15, 2017
Good to hear, senator. Good to hear.
