A'ngkol

I felt so seen when Stell mentioned about how A'TIN worked hard during pandemic so they can still be seen amidst crisis. The twitter party, the tweet goal, the "For TC" tweets, the streaming pakulo, the voting, and the little misunderstandings to spice the journey. Alam niyo kung gaano kalala ang tampo ng A'TIN sa media noon? We have PRESS A'TIN before. They are group of writers (proud one of them) A'TIN who writes article everytime may achievement ang SB19. Sino nagpapublish? A'TIN account din na binoboost namin para mas lumawak ang engagement para hopefully maka-reach ng people outside fandom. We were hoping and praying na isa dun ang mga local media natin! Iniisip ng A'TIN dati, "Ayaw niyo kami pansinsin ha! PWES! Kami gagawa ng paraan!". Kaya very celebrate kami nung may article yung may lamok sa leeg ni Pablo sa kanyang Ikalawang Yugto photo. Naramdaman talaga namin nun na sumakses kami eh! HAHAHAHAHHA GOOD OLD DAYS! So yes, pinaghirapan nating lahat and mga "First Filipino" achievement natin and I don't think those hard works deserve mockery from anyone.

Some of you will never understand why A'TIN celebrates the way we do, and that's fine. But at least get the context right. Back then, SB19 didn't have the kind of massive machinery other artists enjoy. No big system pushing them into every chart, no automatic visibility. What they had was a fandom that worked, organized, streamed, voted, promoted, and showed up. A'TIN didn't just support, we helped build the momentum that got SB19 into spaces like the Billboard Social 50 alongside big names in the music industry. That didn't happen by accident. That was collective effort, strategy, and belief. And yes, aside from us just being proud of what the boys have achieved, part of why we document everything is because that's what the media picks up. If we don't highlight these milestones, they get overlooked, misattributed, or worse, forgotten. We've already seen how easily narratives can be rewritten, how contributions can be under-credited or brushed aside. So we choose to make things visible. To keep the story accurate. To make sure the work is acknowledged. So when we document milestones, even the "First Filipino" ones, you're not just looking at a number. You're seeing proof of what a fandom and an artist can achieve without the usual advantages. So again, don't assume that every achievement post is us being competitive, think of it as a proud moment for fans and a documentation as well. We're honoring the work, ours and theirs. Every time we say "First Filipino," it's not about one-upping anyone. It's about recognizing a moment that used to feel impossible, and is now happening in real time. You laugh at the record. We remember why the record exists. Because for a long time, there was no record. So no, we're not in a race with anyone. We're keeping receipts of progress, maliit man o malaki. And if that looks like competition to you, maybe it's because you're the one looking for it. We'll keep celebrating. You can keep scrolling.