'What's your Ulam, Pare?' and the trend of sharing food, reversing words

Filipinos love to eat and part of this culture is sharing food with people, especially family and friends.

This concept is what encouraged AJ Braga, Jr. and his friends to setup the viral Facebook group "What's Your Ulam, Pare?" (WYUP).

In the WYUP Facebook group, a member can post photos of their ulam (viand) or any kind of food and for whatever reason. As of date, WYUP members have posted a wide range of food photos – from breakfast, gourmet, snacks, etc.

Why food? Braga, an admin of WYUP, said he and eight of his friends like to take photos of their food before eating it.

Initially, the Facebook Group started as a platform for them to share their food photos.

"Isang lugar (page) [ito] kung saan malaya kami mag-post ng mga ulam namin para maibahagi namin sa isa't isa kahit digitally man lang. Dahil naniniwala kami na ang ulam ay nagiging mas masarap pag shared. Ito ang turo ng mga magulang naming magbabarkada," Braga told GMA News Online.

Eventually, they opened the group to everyone who wants to share their "daily food experiences." He said they envision the Facebook group to be a community where members can express their personality through the photos of the food they post.

Lodis unite

The same group also revived the trend of reversing words, which some say started in the 70s.

Group members call each other lodi, a flipped word for idol, orbs for bros, and erap and eram for pare and mare.

Their description for the food -- petmalu, is a reversal of the word "malupet" or amazing, and lodis show support to other lodis by saying "werpa" or power. 

As of writing, the group has more than 95,000 members. Braga said the team behind WYUP is 'very grateful' for the public support.

"Because of them, WYUP has become more than just a place where you just share a picture of your food. It has become a place where members share not only their food but a little but of themselves as well," Braga noted.

He said the group is open to anyone who loves food and wants to share good vibes online.

Enka na, mga lodi! — BAP, GMA News