From United States of Makati to Ilocoslovakia: Filipinos get creative with their ‘citizenships’

If there's one thing Filipinos excel at, it's turning absolute nonsense into peak comedy.

This was on full display when the “United States of Makati” meme went viral. What started as Makati office workers cheekily branding themselves as OFWs ("Onsite Filipino Workers") quickly sparked a trend. Soon, the comment section of PhilSTAR L!fe’s post were filled with people granting their own hometowns and workplaces fake international citizenship.

One commenter claimed to be an OFW from "Lancaster County of Cavite," while another moved from Makati to the "United Kingdom Capital of BGC."

Others renamed local spots using famous acronyms: "SoCal" became Southern Caloocan, "LA" became Legazpi, Albay, and "USA" became the United States of Alabang.

Local places become fictional countries

Then came the fictional countries.

Commenters claimed to live in Ilocoslovakia, Rome-blon, IsaBelarus, Japangasinan, Cavitestan, Antipoluxemburge, Sorsogapore, and Cebudapest. Others were happy living in “The Iloiloland” or “Kyusitzerland.”

The capital cities and territories were not spared, either. There's the People’s Republic of Pasig, Pasig Autonomous Region, and the Republic of BGC. One commenter even described their home as the “Kingdom of Diliman” and their workplace as the “Kingdom of Cubao.”

Apparently, even getting around these imaginary countries requires international travel. One commenter said they commuted from Dasmariñas, Texas to the United States of Makati using “LAX,” or Laguna Expressway, while another joked about traveling from their hometown to Makati as if they were flying between countries.

Meanwhile, Bulacan became “UBE,” or United Bulacan Emirates, and one commenter said they had migrated there from the United States of Makati and were now fluent in “Bulacanese.”

Some commenters also turned their work arrangements and daily commutes into part of the imaginary geography. One said they used to be an “OFW (Onsite Filipino Worker)” in Makati but now works from home in “Cavitzerland,” adding that they no longer have to pass through the “wetland of Kuwait Cavite,” especially during typhoon season.

Visa applications, currencies, and Makatizen IDs

Soon, people started talking about immigration rules and Makatizen IDs.

“Mga US of Makati may Makatizen ID na? Process niyo na!” one user joked, while another asked, “Kailangan din ba mag-apply ng tourist visa sa US of Makati?”

The best jokes poked fun at the hard parts of working in Makati—expensive food, long walks, and bad traffic. One worker said they stayed in Makati for eight years without a visa, but still got "offloaded" every day by heavy traffic.

Another flexed their multiple-entry visa, while someone else bragged about their “yellow card.”

With every new comment came another imaginary destination. “Bangkalifornia,” “Mala-bourne,” “Poland (Pollilio Island),” and “Saudi Arayat” were among the other entries in the ever-expanding map.

As one commenter neatly summarized while stuck in transit: "Isang upuan lang, naka-around the world na ako."