Not everyone was thrilled about Dumaguete's newest celebrity.
Officer Aljade Ramos had spent the past week dealing with an unprecedented surge in... creature-related incidents.
"Another report?" his sergeant asked, exhausted.
"Tourists trying to climb her building for a selfie."
"Again?"
"Again. Three of them got stuck on the fire escape. We had to call the fire department."
The sergeant rubbed his temples. "Is there any law against being a Manananggal?"
"I checked. Constitution doesn't mention supernatural creatures. Neither does the local ordinance. She's technically just... a resident with unique physical characteristics."
"So we can't arrest her for existing."
"We can't even ticket her. Her wings aren't vehicles. They don't need registration."
Meanwhile, in a small office at Silliman University, a very different kind of resistance was forming.
Dr. Ricardo Velasco, head of the Department of Rational Thought (which he'd founded himself), was holding an emergency meeting.
"This is absurd," he declared, slamming his fist on the table. "A Manananggal? In 2024? With a blood delivery subscription? And people BELIEVE this?"
His three followers—the only members of the department—nodded enthusiastically.
"We need to debunk this," Dr. Velasco continued. "Scientifically. Rationally. We'll prove she's a fraud."
"How?" asked Member 1.
"We'll... observe her. Find inconsistencies. Catch her in a lie."
"She flew on camera," Member 2 pointed out. "Multiple cameras. Live."
"Special effects! Drones! Elaborate puppetry!"
"Her intestines moved realistically."
"ADVANCED puppetry!"
Member 3 raised a hand timidly. "Dr. Velasco, what if she's... actually real?"
The room fell silent.
Dr. Velasco stared at his follower with the expression of a man whose entire worldview was being threatened.
"Impossible," he said finally. "Science has rules. Physics has rules. Creatures that separate at night and fly violate both."
"Maybe the rules are wrong?"
"THE RULES ARE NEVER WRONG."
But even as he spoke, a notification popped up on his phone: a new video from Glad's newly-created TikTok account.
In it, she was attempting to use a selfie stick while flying, struggling to hold it with her wing-claws while also maintaining altitude. Anino rode on her shoulder, looking supremely unimpressed.
The caption read: "Trying to take content creator selfies. This is harder than it looks. Send help. Or blood. Either works."
2 million views in 20 minutes.
Comments flooded in:
"She's so bad at this I love her"
"The cat's face is killing me"
"New favorite content creator: ancient flying tita who can't use technology"
"This is the content we needed"
"She's trying her best okay"
Dr. Velasco watched the video three times.
Then he watched it again.
Then he very quietly closed his laptop and went home early, muttering something about "reevaluating his life choices."
His followers exchanged glances.
"Should we... still debunk her?"
"I don't know, man. She's kind of growing on me."
"Same. Also, did you see the Anino plushies? I ordered three."
"You too? I thought I was the only one."