PASIG CITY, Philippines — Proving once again that his dry, comedic wit is just as sharp as his local administrative policies, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has gone viral for a heartwarming yet comical tribute to his mother. The local chief executive drew widespread laughs across social media after putting a distinct, humorous twist on a major internet milestone.
To celebrate the 72nd birthday of his mother, veteran actress Coney Reyes, Sotto jumped on the viral “What were you like in the ’90s?” throwback trend.
The social media trend typically features users transitioning from a modern portrait into a series of nostalgic, stylized 1990s throwback photos, usually set to the Goo Goo Dolls’ iconic rock track “Iris.” However, Sotto’s 14-second clip radically subverted expectations:
[ Video Intro: Modern Photo of Mayor Vico Sotto & Mom Coney Reyes ] │ ▼ (The Trend Prompter) [ Text Overlay Pops Up: "What were you like in the 90s?" ] │ ▼ (The Subversive Twist)[ Cuts to Nostalgic 90s Photo: Coney Reyes Lovingly Cradling a Baby ] │ ▼ [ The Playful Gag: The Baby's Face is Bluntly Layered and Superimposed ] [ With Photos of Adult Vico From Completely Different Eras of His Life ]
The playful, slightly surreal editing choice immediately caught the attention of social media users. Instead of showcasing Reyes’ multi-decade career or personal evolution, the video hilariously transformed her birthday moment into a showcase for her son’s comedic photo manipulation.
The comedic tribute exploded in popularity across multiple digital platforms, drawing immense engagement from local citizens and industry friends within hours of being posted on Wednesday evening, May 27:
[ VIRAL ENGAGEMENT PROFILE ]
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[ METRIC METEOR SHOTS ] [ SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDBACK ]
• **Facebook Footprint:** Garnering over **750,000 active reactions** • **The CapCut Comrades:** Followers flooded the comment feed to
and thousands of shares as netizens praised his sense of humor. joke about his rough layout skills, with one user declaring him
• **TikTok Traction:** Amassing more than **651,000 native likes** *"Born to be an editor, forced to be a mayor."*
on his official video feed. • **The Maternal Blessing:** Reyes warmly acknowledged the joke,
replying to her son: *"Thank you so much anak ko,"* alongside a
classic red heart emoji.
The Pasig City mayor is the son of Coney Reyes and veteran TV host-comedian Vic Sotto. Netizens quickly pointed out that Vico’s deadpan, self-deprecating digital style is a direct continuation of his father’s historic comedic style, which has defined Philippine television for decades.
| Mayor Vico’s Digital Campaign Timeline | Deployed Public Advisory Platform | Primary Core Objectives |
| Late May 2026 | Mom’s 72nd Birthday Video Edit | Lighthearted family celebration and community building. |
| Mid-May 2026 | AI-Generated Deepfake Music Track | Created a satirical, catchy song to warn Pasig residents against crypto and romance scams. |
| Active 2026 Mandate | Official Pasig City LGU Channels | Consistently bypasses rigid public relations scripts to deliver real-time governance updates with human warmth. |
By keeping his public persona highly accessible and utilizing standard internet humor, Sotto continues to bridge the traditional gap between local government heads and younger constituents. The viral birthday greeting serves as a reminder that underneath the high-stakes responsibilities of managing a major metropolitan economy, the country’s most prominent young executive still enjoys making his mother smile.