UNDER THE RADAR: Tatay Andy sells ₱50 wallets on a Makati sidewalk

“For anyone looking for affordable souvenirs, Tatay Andy’s wallets are only ₱50 each!” she wrote.

She also shared a small gesture that made the story even more endearing: after she bought the wallets, Tatay Andy apparently threw in two extra pieces.

The post quickly turned into an informal customer referral network.

“Hi pls PM me his contact details! Thank you,” one user wrote.

“Contact details pls,” another asked.

One Cebu-based commenter lamented: “I wanna buy but I’m from Cebu.”

Others saw the wallets as potential Christmas gifts, while another commenter vouched for the durability of this type of wallet.

According to directions shared in the thread, Tatay Andy can reportedly be found along Buendia Avenue, near the RCBC Plaza and Teleperformance area, around the overpass. The original poster described his spot as after Tropical Hut and before Teleperformance, near RCBC Plaza and Makati Medical Center.

Since he is a sidewalk vendor without a permanent store, his exact location and schedule may vary.

The products themselves are difficult to miss. Photos show brightly colored wallets and zippered coin purses, including whimsical animal and fish designs stitched together in contrasting colors.

But the bigger story may be what happened after one customer decided to post about him.

Small sidewalk vendors operate largely outside the machinery that drives modern retail. They have no boosted posts, shopping apps, delivery fleets or digital advertising budgets. Their businesses still depend heavily on foot traffic, repeat customers and word of mouth.

For Tatay Andy, word of mouth suddenly went digital.

And every person asking for his location represents something more valuable than a like or share: a potential customer.

There are thousands of small vendors like him across Metro Manila—people selling inexpensive goods on sidewalks, beside offices, near terminals and underneath overpasses. Many remain invisible to the wider public simply because nobody has posted about them yet.

Tatay Andy got that post.

Now the internet is looking for him.

And perhaps the best ending to this viral story is remarkably simple: people showing up—and buying.

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