Alvin Karingal, Viral “Fishball Warrior” Revealed as Former Manila Mayoral Candidate
The viral fishball warrior, Alvin Karingal, turned out to be a former mayoral candidate of Manila and not a fishball vendor.
Alvin Karingal, a man dubbed as the “Fishball Warrior” after passionately shouting for lower prices of street food at a protest in Luneta Park is not a vendor at all, but a former mayoral candidate of Manila.
Last Sunday (September 21, 2025), Karingal joined the rally ot to speak about corruption but to call attention to the rising cost of fishball, kwek-kwek, kikiam, calamares, and tokneneng. Videos of him shouting his demands quickly spread online, earning both amusement and curiosity from netizens.
Hours later, another photo of Alvin surfaced his shirt torn, with a policeman holding him. It left people wondering about his real story.
The fishball warrior’s mother, Mean Karingal, spoke up. She shared that Alvin has a mental health condition and is under continuous home medication. He does not sell fishball for a living, instead, he helps his mother sell small items like peanut butter and biscuits.
“Kumakain siya ng fishball, kikiam, pero wala siyang hanapbuhay. Tumutulong siya sa akin sa pagtitinda lang, mga peanut butter, biscuits,” she explained.
Mean expressed deep worry after Alvin was taken by the police, saying she could not find out where he had been brought. Her greatest concern was whether her son had eaten and whether he was able to take his needed medicine.
Alvin once dreamed of leading Manila. On October 1, 2024, he filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor and even appeared in survey posters alongside known political names. However, before that, he was reported missing by concerned friends and family, citing his struggles with depression.
In a previous report, a mother pleads for release of viral “fishball warrior” son arrested at protest
The social media users expressed their reactions to the new revelation:
