Makatinese? Makati dollars? The United States of Alabang? If your social media feed has recently started looking like a travel guide to places that technically do not exist, you are not alone.

A new Filipino internet trend has turned Makati into a fictional foreign country, complete with “OFWs,” work visas, permanent residency, its own language and even its own currency.

In this version of the joke, OFW no longer means Overseas Filipino Worker. Instead, it stands for “Onsite Filipino Worker”—or, for some, “Overworked Filipino Worker”—referring to employees who leave their homes to report to offices in Makati and other major business districts.

The trend began gaining traction in July and August, with TikTok users turning their everyday corporate routines into what looks like an overseas assignment.

One of the earliest posts widely credited with popularizing the joke came from TikTok user @nickxploration, who uploaded a video on July 14 documenting a typical workday in Makati. The post carried the text, “Umalis ng Pilipinas para mag-work sa Makati,” while the caption read, “As an OFW in Makati!”

What started as a simple office joke quickly snowballed.

Soon, workers were joking about learning Makatinese, earning MKD or “Makati dollars,” applying for “work visas” and even securing “permanent residency.” Others posted about their “days off,” “petsa de peligro” meals and their experiences navigating Makati’s version of public transportation.

And, naturally, the joke did not stop at Makati.

As the trend spread, Filipinos began giving their own workplaces and hometowns fictional international identities. BGC was dubbed the “United Kingdom Capital of BGC,” while Alabang became the “United States of Alabang.” Other commenters transformed familiar places into fictional countries and territories, proving once again that Filipino internet humor can turn almost any location into a geopolitical entity.

The humor also hits close to home for many Metro Manila workers. Makati is one of the country’s major business and commercial centers, drawing employees from different parts of Metro Manila and beyond. For many workers, “going abroad” for work can sometimes feel less like boarding a plane and more like spending hours commuting across the metropolis.

That may be why the joke has resonated so widely: the fictional “OFW” experience is exaggerated, but the daily grind behind it is very real.

Then came an unexpected participant in the meme: the Department of Tourism.

Tourism Philippines joined the trend with a playful social media campaign promoting Makati as a destination, declaring, “No visa, no problem!” The agency encouraged visitors to “pack your bags,” bring their imaginary Makati dollars and start learning Makatinese.

Instead of simply treating Makati as a place for office workers, the campaign highlighted the city’s leisure side—from gallery hopping and weekend markets to café hopping, dining, running, staycations, nightlife and taking in the city lights.

The campaign essentially gave the fictional country its own tourism board—and suddenly, being an “OFW” in Makati came with a vacation itinerary.

So, if you find yourself commuting to Makati every morning, remember: you are not simply heading to work.

You might just be crossing an international border.

Visa? Optional.

Makati dollars? Accepted in the meme economy.

Makatinese? Apparently, a language you pick up on the job.

Welcome to the United States of Makati.