Luha ng buwaya is the Filipino phrase for crocodile tears, the grief of people who feel none. On Friday, Oct 2, KZ Tandingan and rapper Gloc-9 released a single with that title. The teaser caption carried the warning: “‘Wag magpapaniwala sa mga Luha ng Buwaya,” or don’t believe the crocodile tears.

The song addresses severe flooding and officials who stay indifferent to people’s suffering while enriching themselves through corruption. It arrives while the flood control scandal remains part of the national conversation. The pair announced the release on Instagram with a black-and-white, graffiti-style poster: their photos, the title in spray paint.

The phrase has a literary precedent. Luha ng Buwaya is also the title of a Filipino-language novel by Amado V. Hernandez, the Palanca Award-winning writer, about poor farmers organizing against the greedy Grande family. In the novel, the crocodile stands for the corrupt.

For Tandingan, the release came with nerves. “To be completely honest, I’ve never been more scared to release a song sa almost 15 years ko po dito sa industry,” she said. She turned to Nina Simone to explain why she went ahead: “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” At the launch event she said she hoped listeners felt what they were meant to feel: “Sana naramdaman niyo ‘yung dapat niyong maramdaman.”

It is the pair’s second collaboration. Gloc-9, the rapper known for fast verses on social issues, featured Tandingan on “Industriya,” a track on his 2016 album Sukli. Billboard Philippines describes him as her biggest rap influence, the one who shaped her fast-paced rap style.

The single follows “KAYA,” Tandingan’s first project as an independent artist, released in March. Gloc-9 recently put out “Tunog” with rappers Hero, Ramdiss, Arvy T and G Clown, and currently coaches on The Voice Kids Philippines. “Luha ng Buwaya” runs 3 minutes and 51 seconds and is out on streaming platforms.