The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco has feted the two Filipino-Americans behind the viral ‘TNT Traysikel’, the Philippine tricycle that was recently seen crossing the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer met Mike Arcega and Paolo Asuncion -- the brains behind the TNT Traysikel, a mobile public artwork that operates as a cultural marker for the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural Heritage District in San Francisco during a small gathering at the Philippine Consulate late last month.

The duo brought with them the motorized tricycle, decked with Filipino items and knick-knacks that are very much part of Philippine culture, such as a white “Good Morning” towel, usually worn by tricycle drivers around their neck to cool off amid the sweltering heat back in the Philippines.

The tricycle is equipped with a ‘videoke’ and adorned with signs and phrases that bedeck the quintessential mode of public transportation in the Philippines (aside from the jeepney) such as “Hoy,” “God knows Hudas not pay” (God knows who does not pay, but spoken in the vernacular, sounds like God knows Judas does not pay).

During their visit, Ferrer thanked the Arcega and Asuncion for their artwork and their contribution to promoting Philippine culture in the Bay Area and the U.S.

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Ferrer, along with Tourism Director Soleil Tropicales sang “Manila” by Filipino band The Hotdogs in an impromptu videoke and were joined by Cultural Officer Ethel Castillo, Consular Assistant Maria Antonia van Espen Boonen and Philippine Center Administrative Officer Genevieve Ferrer.

Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona rode the tricycle driven by Asuncion that drove around Union Square.

The aesthetic of the traysikel is similar to the Filipino-customized transport jeepneys that were left by Americans after World War II. TNT Traysikel is an immigrant metaphor constructed from deep colonial history.

According to Arcega’s description, TNT Traysikel, as a social sculpture, was used as an aesthetic object, a protest tool and symbol of solidarity with the Black community against police brutality and delivery vehicle during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arcega and Asuncion said the TNT Traysikel was made possible with help from the communities, hand-Painted by Meng Nguyen and was funded by the San Francisco Arts Commission Individual Artist Commission with additional support from Awesome Foundation, San Francisco State University and Balay Kreative.