Cheyenne Suarez

'Upuan': Gloc-9's rap about corruption is viral again

Article (news)

Josh Mercado

<p>&quot;Kayo po na nakaupo, subukan n&#x27;yo namang tumayo.&quot;</p><p>A Filipino rap song that talks about corruption is going viral again 16 years after it was first released due to the ongoing controversy about multibillion-peso ghost flood control projects.</p><p>Aristotle Pollisco, popularly known as Gloc-9, has always used his rap compositions to highlight societal issues long before the term &quot;woke&quot; entered pop culture.</p><p>Some of his hit songs that stood out to listeners when they first came out were &quot;Lando&quot; about poverty, &quot;Sirena&quot; about gay issues, and &quot;Upuan&quot; about corruption, which is currently trending again.</p><p>The song &quot;Upuan&quot; (feat. Jeazell Grutas) is currently being referenced on Instagram reels, Facebook content, and TikTok videos amid online discussions about alleged corruption in flood control projects.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756423219559image0 (2).jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>In the 2009 hit song, the hip-hop icon used the term &quot;upuan&quot; to allude to high-ranking individuals who live lavishly while the poor live in squalor and have barely enough to eat.</p><p>He began the song with the lyrics, &quot;Kayo po na nakaupo, subukan n&#x27;yo namang tumayo, at baka matanaw na n&#x27;yo ang tunay na kalagayan ko.&quot;</p><p>In a 2020 interview, Gloc-9 said that he wrote the song while assigned to a hospital as a nursing student.</p><p>“Noong time na isinulat ko po ‘yun, ako’y nagdu-duty sa mga public hospital nung nag-aaral ako ng nursing,” he told PEP. </p><p>“At kapag ikaw ay nasa environment na katulad ng mga public hospital dito sa Pilipinas, hindi ka mauubusan ng inspiration sa pagsulat mo ng kanta,” he added.</p><p>Explaining the message, he continued, “Ang ‘Upuan&#x27; ay puwede mo ring i-associate hindi lamang sa kung sino iyong nakaupo sa gobyerno. Puwede itong boss mo sa trabaho. Puwede itong isang malaking tao sa isang religious group na pinupuntahan mo.”</p><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@gratus88/video/7543221352711392519" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7543221352711392519" id="v27575514131314070" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v27575514131314070" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7543221352711392519?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-08-29T00%3A18%3A59.859201%3A27c01909-9e73-4a95-8656-1fecae8fbf09%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:744px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:744px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><p>The rap song has the following striking lyrics: </p><div><em>Tao po nandyan po ba kayo sa loob ng<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/>Malaking bahay at malawak na bakuran<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>Mataas na pader pinapaligiran<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>At naka pilang mga mamahaling sasakyan<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>Mga bantay na laging bulong ng bulong<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>Wala namang kasal pero marami ang naka barong<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>Lumakas man ang ulan ay walang butas ang bubong<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>Mga plato&#x27;t kutsara na hindi kilala ang tutong<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>At ang kanin ay simputi ng gatas na nasa kahon<br style="color:rgb(31, 31, 31);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>At kahit na hindi pasko sa lamesa ay may hamon</em></div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@reniellefuentes/video/7541974959799700754" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7541974959799700754" id="v67943954378122350" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v67943954378122350" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7541974959799700754?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-08-29T00%3A18%3A59.859201%3A27c01909-9e73-4a95-8656-1fecae8fbf09%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:772px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:772px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@chok.iii/video/7543653402861964551" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7543653402861964551" id="v43181498504271750" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v43181498504271750" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7543653402861964551?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-08-29T00%3A18%3A59.859201%3A27c01909-9e73-4a95-8656-1fecae8fbf09%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:757px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:757px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><p><em></em>The song also talks about the hardships experienced by ordinary Filipinos.</p><p>“Mawalang galang na po sa taong nakaupo</p><p>Alam niyo bang pantakal ng bigas namin ay ‘di puno</p><p>Ang dingding ng bahay namin ay pinagtagpi-tagping yero</p><p>Sa gabi ay sobrang init na tumutunaw ng yelo</p><p>Na ‘di kayang bilhin upang ilagay sa inumin.</p><p>“Ang aking inay na may kayamanan isang kaldero</p><p>Na nagagamit lang ‘pag ang aking ama ay sumuweldo</p><p>Pero kulang na kulang pa rin. Ulam na tuyo&#x27;t asin</p><p>Ang singkwenta pesos sa maghapo&#x27;y pagkakasyahin.</p><p>“‘Di ko alam kung talagang maraming harang o mataas lang ang bakod o nagbubulag-bulagan lamang po kayo. Kahit sa dami ng pera niyo, walang doktor na makapagpapalinaw ng mata niyo. Kaya ‘wag kang masyadong halata. Bato-bato sa langit ang matamaa&#x27;y ‘wag magalit.”</p><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@tabascolovely/video/7543190170699402504" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7543190170699402504" id="v97239374581469540" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v97239374581469540" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7543190170699402504?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-08-29T00%3A18%3A59.859201%3A27c01909-9e73-4a95-8656-1fecae8fbf09%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:739px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:739px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><p>Those were some of the powerful lyrics that, according to netizens, are relevant to what is going on in the country today.</p><p>Upuan, from Gloc-9&#x27;s “Matrikula” album, won Song of the Year at the 23rd Awit Awards, and was a personal favorite of the late National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera.</p><p>During the song&#x27;s release, it became a popular topic, even appearing in students&#x27; study and reflection papers.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rr1MIKhzn0E?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FJlyrGMXBsc?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A Filipino rap song that talks about corruption is going viral again 16 years after it was first released due to the ongoing controversy about multibillion-peso ghost flood control projects.</p>

A Filipino rap song that talks about corruption is going viral again 16 years after it was first released due to the ongoing controversy about multibillion-peso ghost flood control projects.