On rare occasions that we are finally getting a glimpse of the outside world after a long enduring lockdown, here we are, dazed and confused about how weird the world has become.
The stress of the pandemic has blurred the lines of reality when all of a sudden, our feeds exploded with an ostrich that has apparently gone rogue from an undisclosed location in a subdivision in Quezon City. Many, of course, were amused, and shocked. Others asked, “Are we in Jumanji?” Well, this is the only good viral happening this year that veers us away from our dire health crisis.
Filipinos always find comic relief in the most bizarre situations. A video posted by Dino Rivera on social media went viral because we see an ostrich running amok in a subdivision past cars and motorcycles while being chased by a goat. Not an everyday scene compared to the recently loose pig running around Cebu today that’s also gaining traction in social media, or cows in another.
The distraction it caused has given birth to many memes and businesses taking it as an opportunity for a stress release. Perhaps, it’s the break we need from all the ongoing social issues we’re facing from the PhilHealth corruption, to the recent abominable statement by Cynthia Villar on health workers, the unstoppable rise of COVID-19 cases, among others that have made today’s social media a reflection of the dystopia that we are seemingly in.
We’re no strangers to animals sharing a news spotlight recently. This instance, however, is a far cry from the dolphins we recently talked about. Perhaps, it’s time we take a breather and see how social media reacted on this weird event:
An ode to pre-quarantine freedom
A mood to the tune of Ang Bandang Shirley’s “Nakauwi Na”
Who can resist a fancam moment?
A reminder of our community guidelines:
It didn’t also dodge the woke community in finding it as a fitting metaphor to us, Filipinos, who are all looking on a sense of escape from our present sorry state, and an opportunity to blend in social commentaries with wit and humor. Riding into the most recent controversies, local viral videos sure are a perfect banner ad for “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”.
Iconic musician, Rico Blanco, also recently shared an eerie social media throwback, commemorating a 15-year-old “surrealistic” artwork depicting an ostrich running free in the city. Fast forward to 2020, by his definition, the image is now far being surreal. How times have changed.
Of course, several brands were quick to jump on the hype. Look at how the ever-witty transport and delivery service Angkas didn’t let this opportunity to pass them with a post that promotes a unique code OSTRICH for their delivery service.
This was then quickly followed by other brands gave their own takes on the viral incident:
As of writing, the ostrich in question has since been rescued by authorities and there’s no news of where the wild animal escaped from. However, behind the all the ruckus and the online attention, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, in a statement published on their official Facebook page, raised concerns on wildlife permits, particularly in residential areas. They wrote:
Updated: Aug. 7, 2020
With additional text by Leo Balante