Cebuanos validated, probing into an intriguingly viral Facebook group

CEBU, Philippines - You know you’re Cebuano if you have visited and are proud of the Magellan’s Cross. You know you’re Cebuano if you have eaten at Larsian and Redem pungko-pungko. You know you’re Cebuano if you have used the expression “estoryahee” at least once in your life. And you are definitely Cebuano if you have not failed to notice one viral Facebook group.

Over the past week, the local Facebook community witnessed the rise of an epic society. FB users have seen it all—from incredible photos to haunting videos to statement status—but this might just be the very first time when notifications go out of control because of a group, something aptly called You Know You’re Cebuano If???. With a mix of annoyance and curiosity, I embarked on a mission to delve deeper into what might be the story or motive behind this movement. What I found was very different from its comedic façade, it was rather heartwarming.

Two weeks ago, Jovic Cajita felt the occasional across-the-ocean blues. He has been living in Orange County, California, and hasn’t been home in Cebu since 2003. The YKYCI??? was just six days old then. With nothing else to do and with a longing for the Sugbo, he invited a handful of 20 friends in the group, most of which are living across the USA and Europe. His only aim was to create something where these out-of-towners can talk about the things they loved and missed about Cebu; a place where they can share the same sentiment and eventually feel closer to home. While he knew FB’s private messaging was a great means to converse with friends, Jovic opted to have a mini chatroom, one that was simple and humorous, which explained the open-ended question of the group name. 

What started as an intimate assembly of close friends has become an incredible social network icon. Within 24 hours, the number of members rose dramatically to 6,500. The next day, it turned into 11,000. Evidently, people were intrigued; they wanted to belong, they wanted to provide a response to the now famous open-ended question, and they loved how they can nod agreeably to other people’s answers. In just one week, the movement acquired more than 47,800 posts from different Cebuanos from all walks of life and all parts of the globe. YKYCI??? has become more than a validation of one’s true residence. From inside jokes to love advice to debates on the best radio station to a survey on the worst Cebuano words to tips on the best food places, it has apparently become an outlet for many things.

But with a growing number of heads comes a growing number of headaches for Jovic and the rest of the group’s admin. Unavoidably, some members tend to abuse the group page. While YKYCI??? is tailored for wholesome fun, there have been many cases where members begin provocative and offensive posts, including profanity, indecency, excessive disrespect, and pornography. It had almost become out of control.

Just as how you wouldn’t want a bad apple to spoil the rest of the batch, the admin takes necessary measures to avoid this; after all, this movement is proudly representing the island of Cebu to the rest of the world. “When one goes out of line, with personal attacks, insults to specific historical or religious points in Cebu, pornography, or other FB mandated rules are broken, I have to be firm,” says Jovic. “So yes, I’ve had my share of kicking out those that ruin it for everyone else since most importantly that negativity should not be representation of what a true Cebuano is.”

With the phenomenal hit of YKYCI???, there have been a noticeable number of groups imitating its concept. Groups called taga (add name of school or town here) gyud ka kung… are rising in numbers to the point of nuisance. But for Jovic, this type of internet meme is a form of flattery and he does not mind them at all.

Ultimately, YKYCI???, at its young age, has served its purpose well. It has been a tool for Cebuanos to express our love to our hometown and a venue for meeting people who share the same passion, no matter the distance. It has simply brought Cebuanos closer. YKYCI??? has also created magic, tourismwise. It has compelled Cebuanos abroad to visit home. Not coming home for eight years, Jovic himself is a concrete example of this. He had no plans of coming back for a long time and yet because of this movement, he finds his friends forcing him to come home—and reading through discussions of food and places, and just the mere feeling of being in Cebu, it appears that he doesn’t need much prodding. To add, his non-Cebuana girlfriend from the States is also enthusiastic about coming home with him.

From 20 people, YKYCI??? has managed to gather an amazing 18,110 (and counting) members, with most individuals inviting themselves in. “Cebuanos are geniuses... I would say I fall in that category. This movement has been going on for a long time even before Thursday (the creation of the group), but it was just attributed through other avenues... since Magellan first met Lapu-Lapu. So, in all honesty, I truly believe this movement will go strong with or without YKYCI,” Jovic shares. Feeling blessed and grateful to the admin and the supportive Cebuanos who keep the fun going, this young man who misses home only has one last thing to say: “Dr. Victorio Cajita, Dad, I’m coming home … soon.”