In a moment that has taken social media by storm, former senator Kiko Pangilinan finally spoke out about a bizarre viral video where he was seen accidentally munching on a banana leaf — and his response? Both hilarious and surprisingly empowering.

The Video That Shocked (and Entertained) the Nation

The video, which has now garnered over 5 million views on TikTok and Facebook, shows Pangilinan at a public gathering, happily enjoying a traditional meal. But as the camera zoomed in, eagle-eyed netizens noticed something strange — he had taken a full bite of the banana leaf itself, mistaking it for part of the food.

Netizens erupted in laughter, memes flooded the internet, and some critics even used it as ammunition for political banter. But Kiko? He handled it like a champ.

“Masarap naman ah!” – Kiko Pangilinan Responds with Humor

In an interview with the press, Pangilinan coolly addressed the viral moment:

“Honestly, I didn’t realize it at first. But you know what? Banana leaves are clean, organic, and full of fiber!” he joked.

He also took the opportunity to turn the attention to Filipino food culture, reminding the public that banana leaves are an important part of local tradition — often used to serve meals and impart aroma.

Supporters Clap Back at the Critics

While some political detractors tried to mock Pangilinan for the incident, his supporters rallied behind him, calling him “down-to-earth,” “relatable,” and even “health-conscious.”

“At least hindi plastik ang kinain niya — banana leaf pa nga! Natural!” one Facebook comment read, clearly throwing shade at other public figures.

When Humor Wins Over Hate

In a political climate often filled with mudslinging, Kiko Pangilinan’s good-natured reaction was a breath of fresh air. Instead of lashing out, he laughed with the public, proving that sometimes the best way to win is by taking a bite out of the drama — literally.

Kiko Matos, ‘ignorant’ inokrays burn Atty. Kiko for slapping buro’t and mustard
Social media personality and actor Kiko Matos has dismissed the insults of some netizens to former vice presidential candidate and now Senate hopeful Atty. Kiko Pangilinan, after a video of him eating “banana leaves” went viral.

But Kiko joked to netizens that Kiko was not slapping a banana leaf but buro and mustard, a delicacy of the Kapampangans.

He sampled how it is eaten, which he said is similar to the popular Korean samgyupsal.

“Mustasa… buro. You know, among the Kapampangans, eating raw mustard with buro is a delicacy. It’s like samgyupsal, where even if the mustard is raw, you don’t need to soak it to eat it because it’s already delicious with it,” he said while eating the prepared buro and mustard, on his Facebook page. “Now, I’m not making this video to defend former Senator Kiko Pangilinan, I just want to inform the ignorant out there. The problem is, you’re already ignorant, you’re still proud. That’s why the Philippines isn’t developing. Because you’re so quick to believe fake news,” Matos said.

In the comment section, Matos said that it’s very clear in the video that Pangilinan didn’t eat banana leaves but mustard leaves.