Type fast or go home: From suki to “Mine, sis”

One Friday night, I found myself in the middle of an online argument.

- By NOREEN H. SAPALO

I had typed “Mine, sis!” on a faded denim jacket during an online ukay-ukay live sale, certain I’d claimed it first. But another buyer insisted she got there before me, and the seller’s comment filter ruled in her favor. I felt the same rush of indignation as if someone had snatched the item from my hands at a physical ukay-ukay store. The seller tried to calm us both down, and the live broadcast went on, but I was left thinking about how intense, even personal, these online interactions have become.

Scenes like this play out nightly across Instagram. Sellers go live, hold up an item, and the comments section erupts with “Mine, sis!” “Grab!” “Steal!” Whoever types fastest wins. Payments are sent through GCash, and the item is shipped the next day. This new ritual of online ukay and pasabuy may look different from the usual market scenes, but beneath the speed and spectacle lies something very old: the Filipino suki relationship — the enduring connection between buyer and seller. Instagram hasn’t replaced this bond; it has transformed it.