By Clare Nicole A. Mendoza

Filipinos are cheerful and creative by nature. Even the simplest things bring us joy. To make people happier, we often think of inventive ways to do it.

An 18-year-old Filipino named Niño Ged created a huge buzz on several social media sites in August, thanks to his creative thinking. This is after he created a page called “International State College of the Philippines (ISCP),” which is a satire page designed to imitate a university. At first glance, the displayed logo of the page may lead you to believe it is a legitimate institution of higher learning, but once you visit the page, you will be able to tell that it is a meme. Aside from the fact that it is the time of year for in-person classes, many returning and new students, as well as young professionals, can relate to the university setup.

I personally had a great time reading all the cleverly created memes on this page. It reminds me of the time I spent in college when we had to take entrance examinations, pick courses that matched our skills, meet our professors and deans, etc. But what distinguishes ISCP from other school memes that we have seen in the past? It’s Filipino comedy, of course! It is the clever way in which this satirical portal interacts with Filipino internet users and our meme culture.

The “Blue Aspins,” as they dubbed themselves, have already gone on board and pretended to be students at this institution. Everyone on the internet appeared to be anticipating everything, from the announcement of the entrance exam results to the selection of the school hymn. All the advertised courses and degrees, with the exception of the background used for these advertisements, were so meticulously created that they could genuinely mislead someone. For example, the background image for the advertisement for a BA in Mass Communication with a Major in Community Information Gathering and Relaying Systems shows a group of “Marites” conversing.

ISCP cultivates Filipinos’ capacity to produce high-quality material in addition to serving as a platform for Filipino comedy. Have you ever seen a satire page that has its own functioning website? A community that creates professionally designed satirical publication materials? An imaginary campus that is on par with legitimate campuses in terms of student engagement? Only ISCP does!

Uncertainty surrounds the future, but one thing is certain: ISCP will live on in the memories of many people who laughed together during this tough period and who dreamed of an organization that would help end the nation’s educational crisis and free its children. Padayon, Blue Aspins!

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