Meet Halopuu: The Sweet Story Behind Our WordCamp Philippines 2026 Wapuu

Every WordCamp gets its own Wapuu. Ours took a delicious detour. Here is how a mango became a glass of halo-halo.

Every WordCamp around the world shares one thing beyond WordPress itself: a Wapuu. This year, the Philippine community is proud to introduce ours. Meet Halopuu, the official Wapuu of WordCamp Philippines 2026, designed by Andrew dela Serna.

But Halopuu almost did not turn out this way. The story of how our mascot came to be involves the sweetest mango in the world, a happy coincidence with a community thousands of kilometers away, and a beloved Filipino dessert. Let us take you back to the drawing board.

First, what is a Wapuu?

If this is your first WordCamp, you might be wondering who this cheerful yellow character is. Wapuu is the beloved mascot of the global WordPress community. Born in Japan in 2009, Wapuu was created as an open-source symbol to bring people together, and communities everywhere have since given it a local twist. Each host city dresses Wapuu in its own culture, so the mascot becomes a little postcard from wherever WordPress people gather.

Ours had to taste like home.

It started with a mango

WordCamp Philippines’ original Mango Wapuu concept by Andrew dela Serna — the straw-hat version]

When Andrew first sat down to design our Wapuu, one idea rose to the top almost immediately: the mango. And not just any mango. The Philippines is home to the carabao mango, famed as one of the sweetest in the world, and the sweetest of them all grow in Guimaras, an island just a 20-minute boat ride across the strait from Iloilo City, our host city this year.

It was a perfect fit. A sun-ripened Mango Wapuu in a farmer’s hat, arms full of the fruit our region is known for. Sweet, local, and unmistakably Ilonggo. We loved it.

A sweet coincidence

Then something wonderful happened.

As we were finalizing our Mango Wapuu, WordCamp Rajshahi 2026 in Bangladesh revealed their own official mascot: Mangopuu. Rajshahi is celebrated as the Mango Capital of Bangladesh, and their community had arrived at almost exactly the idea we had, describing their mascot as sweet, vibrant, and uniquely local. A bright, mango-inspired Wapuu, proudly holding the WordPress logo.

WordCamp Rajshahi 2026’s official Mangopuu

Two WordPress communities. Two countries. One fruit. It turns out that wherever WordPress people gather, there is a good chance they love mangoes too.

WordPress and mangoes. Who knew?

Back to the drawing board

We could have kept our design. Coincidences happen, and mangoes belong to everyone. But the WordPress community has always been about respect, collaboration, and lifting each other up. Rajshahi is hosting their historic first-ever WordCamp this year, and we wanted their Mangopuu to shine as their own.

So we did the most WordPress thing possible. We went back to the drawing board.

Meet Halopuu

If we were going to celebrate something sweet and unmistakably Filipino, we did not have to look far. Enter halo-halo.

Halo-halo, which means “mix-mix,” is the crown jewel of Filipino desserts: a colorful glass of shaved ice, sweet beans, fruit, and jellies, all crowned with a generous scoop of ube (purple yam) ice cream. It is refreshing, it is joyful, and like our mangoes, it is sweet to the core. If you visit the Philippines and try only one dessert, make it this one.

The name is a little play on words: halo-halo meets Wapuu. And say it out loud, it sounds like “hello po,” a warm, respectful Filipino greeting. Which is exactly what Halopuu is here to do: welcome you.

Halopuu as the ube ice cream crowning the halo-halo

And so Halopuu was born. Cradling a tall glass of halo-halo, ube scoop and all, Halopuu is every bit as warm, vibrant, and local as the community it represents. Just as fitting as a mango, and entirely our own.

Where culture meets code

Halopuu is more than a cute graphic. It is a reminder of what WordCamp Philippines is all about: where culture meets code. It carries our flavors, our island pride, and the open-source spirit that connects us to WordPress communities everywhere, mango-loving Rajshahi included.

Come meet Halopuu in person. WordCamp Philippines 2026 happens August 28 to 29 at the Iloilo Convention Center, with two days of learning, community, and connection. Keep an eye out for Halopuu on our stickers, merch, and banners around the venue.

Salamat, Andrew, for giving our community a mascot as sweet as home.

Get your tickets at philippines.wordcamp.org/2026/tickets