Filipino dads and grandmothers are making waves on TikTok

From performing quirky dance moves to donning funny costumes, some tap the social media platform to help put food on the table.

- Mara Cepeda

If you come across 54-year-old Efren Palines on the street, you'd think he was your typical tough guy - tattooed biceps, a basketball cap worn backwards, and a face that has seen its share of hard times.

But put him in front of a phone camera, and you get Philippine TikTok's most unlikely live-streaming star. His "Ice cream yummy" dance - where he sways his hips with his hands clasped behind his neck as he blurts out catchy phrases - has turned this macho man into a viral sensation.

Fondly called Tatay Peng or Father Peng by his followers, Mr Palines became a TikTok superstar in October 2024 with thousands of views when he hopped on the NPC or non-playable character live-streaming trend on the video platform.

The NPC trend involves creators going on TikTok Live and acting like NPC or background characters from video games such as Grand Theft Auto. They mimic specific movements made by the characters and can earn virtual gifts equivalent to cash they can later withdraw through online banking. Japanese TikToker Natue Coco is widely credited to have started the NPC live-streaming trend in 2021.

In Mr Palines' case, he copied the "Ice cream yummy" dance move first popularised by US TikTok creator itsrexbb.

"I lost my job in mid-2023. I had to figure something out because my son is still in college," Mr Palines told The Straits Times. "I searched online for ways to make a living. I saw TikTokers were earning by going live, so I figured I might as well try it."

In the Philippines, a handful of middle-aged breadwinners like Mr Palines are riding the NPC live-streaming bandwagon on TikTok, not for fame but to help put food on the table. They don funny costumes or perform quirky dance moves on camera.