July 24 marks a month since the passing of the former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Former President Aquino’s sudden death has sent shockwaves to Filipinos nationwide and has resulted in hundreds of thousands of sentiments on mainstream media and social
media.

Isentia, the leading Media Intelligence and Insights platform has uncovered the trends and the social media buzz coverage on the death of former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

There has been 317,979 total buzz on PNoy OR Noynoy Aquino and their permutations from June 24-30, 2021.

About 81% or 260,665 of the buzz was from Facebook, 11% or 35,543 buzzes from YouTube, and 7% or 21,771 of the social buzz was on Twitter.

Social Media Turned Into A Wailing Wall

News that PNoy had died prompted responses from the digital public. Social media turned into a wailing wall as posts of grief, admiration, and gratitude towards the late President spiked.

Those who knew him personally, and those who knew about him, took to social media to broadcast conspicuous displays of grief.

People also create a hashtag #RIPPnoy for his memorial.

Buzzin on Social Media

PNoy’s untimely death caused some netizens to rethink their health and mortality. Following news of his passing, Google searches on renal disease and the cause of his death spiked.

As renal disease and diabetes became relevant topics in the digital sphere, media outlets like GMA
Network and News5Digital used their Facebook pages to join in this conversation.

Both banked on informative and reactive content on renal disease. These posts drew netizens’ attention as they tagged and shared these with their friends.

The Story and The Mourning

As the digital public recalled the feats he had during his presidency, his staff and colleagues also shared their narratives about the late president. These stories were ordinary but pure – something that the general public can relate to, hence drawing netizens’ attention.

These stories not only revealed PNoy’s simplicity but also sparked conversations about his favourite food, brands, and interesting hobbies.

Tributes from political allies moved the digital public as they shed light on PNoy’s brand of leadership.

Keywords such as Best President and History will treat him favourably to create buzz on social media.

Vice President Leni Robredo was among PNoy’s friends who paid tribute to his life and achievements. Her tweet honouring the late president gained traction, with netizens sharing it on their social media platforms.

The Legacy of PNoy

PNoy’s death appeared to strongly elevate his presidency. It prompted the digital public to reflect on his leadership. His life achievements and legacy were highlighted, underscoring the striking differences between his government and the Duterte administration.

These discussions paved the way for the critics of the Duterte administration to slam his response to the Covid-19 pandemic, his war on drugs, economic strategies, and foreign policies. Tweets criticizing the Duterte government had significant retweets and likes.

While PNoy received tributes and kudos for his leadership, the mishandling of the Mamasapano clash resurfaced, providing negative publicity for the late president.

Supporters countered this by opening discussions surrounding the Marawi siege, the Covid-19 crisis, and the extrajudicial killings (EJK) under the Duterte administration.

Critics of President Duterte noted that these were worse than the Mamasapano massacre.

Aquino Magic

As PNoy’s death triggered critics of the Duterte administration to express their disgust and dismay over his leadership, the buzz on the “Aquino magic” in the 2022 election circulated on social media.

Anti-Duterte netizens were hoping the momentum of support for the Aquinos and the outcry for decent and good governance will influence the 2022 elections and lead the Opposition to victory.

However, many still considered the Liberal Party an elitist. Duterte’s brand as a straightforward and
ordinary man remained appealing to many of his supporters.

“Relevant issues in the political arena spark conversations online that can make or break a brand. It is essential to stay on top of the trends that influence your audience and the industry they work in to create content that will resonate with them,” said Gladys Ruiz, Insights Analyst, Philippines.

Key Takeaways

The internet can turn any event, including death, into a social trend. In the days following the passing of PNoy, his name became a hot topic in the social media landscape. This also allows relevant conversations to surface.

Filipinos took to social media to share their thoughts and reflect on his presidency and the
legacy that he left behind.

PNoy’s death, somehow, provided politicians with an avenue to showcase their brand of leadership through social media.

What Isentia Can Do To Help

Social listening plays a critical role in the way brands and leaders communicate with their audience.

Isentia provides data-driven, actionable insights by identifying trends and conversations in the social media landscape. Its deep-dive analysis into these conversations helps clients understand their audience, and strategize thoughtful communication for better social engagement.

Looking at who’s joining in the emerging trends and how it works for them can help strategize social media engagement and messaging. Isentia can track the social media activity of key opinion leaders, competitors, and other players that clients can leverage on and learn from to build and improve their branding and identity.