Imagine a world where the ancient creatures of Filipino mythology adapt to the modern age — not by haunting forests or crossroads, but by weaving their enchantments into the very apps we can’t put down. Clickbalang brilliantly asks:
What if a Tikbalang learned how to code?
At its core, Clickbalang is a story about Joseph — a bright, misunderstood programmer whose life shatters after a viral video turns him into the internet’s favorite villain. Retreating to the mountains in a desperate attempt to escape the public eye, Joseph encounters Bagwis — a real Tikbalang, the legendary trickster creature of Philippine folklore. But instead of scaring Joseph off the trail, Bagwis makes a surprising offer: help him create an online platform that mirrors the enchanted forests of old.
Thus, ClickedT! is born — a social media app so addictive it feels magical... because it is.
Clickbalang connects two seemingly distant worlds — ancient myth and modern technology — and shows that deep down, they are driven by the same forces: confusion, desire, and the hunger to belong. Joseph's struggle is deeply relatable in the age of cancel culture. He’s not a hero, nor a simple villain. He is a painfully human figure: someone trying to be understood, crushed under the weight of half-truths and internet outrage.
Bagwis, too, is not a clear-cut monster. He's mischievous but strangely kind — a mirror to the chaotic neutrality of the natural world and, cleverly, of the internet itself. Both Joseph and Bagwis are trapped by the systems they help create, and in that tension, Clickbalang delivers a story that feels both timeless and urgently new.
Reading Clickbalang feels like uncovering a secret hidden between your browser tabs. It’s thrilling, eerie, funny, and heartbreaking all at once. You get sucked into Joseph’s personal guilt, the excitement of building something new, and the horrifying realization that he might have unleashed something he can no longer control.
Clickbalang doesn’t just tell you a story — it shows you how easy it is to get lost.
Just one click at a time.
If you’re fascinated by mythology, internet culture, or stories that challenge and entertain — this is the book you’ve been waiting for.
