The continuous sounds of clack, clack, clack of plastic balls have been sweeping some of the small streets in the Philippines.
Popular as it is in the Philipines, the yoyo-like toy has also its resurgence in other Southeast Asian countries. Even Indonesian president Joko Widodo was seen playing with “lato lato.”
The word “lato lato” is a Buginese word that literally translates to “making clacking sounds” according to Borneo Bulletin.
The toy consists of two plastic balls suspended on a string that, when swung, slams against each other to create that distinct clacking sound.
“Lato-lato ” has also been a fad in Western countries in the late 1960s where it was known Newton’s Yo-Yo and was meant to be an educational toy. The toy is also known as “clackers” and “knockers”;
Recently, the Philippines Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on buying some of “lato lato” variants.
The FDA has issued three separate memorandums urging the public to refrain from purchasing several types of lato-lato as some of the products have not undergone any safety and quality inspection from regulators and may pose health risks to consumers.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Lazada Ph)
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