The phrase comes from everyday Filipino conversation, where asking if someone has eaten is a common way of showing care, and lab is a casual spelling of love used between partners and close friends. As a short voice clip it spread through chats and meme soundboards, where its meaning is understood even by listeners who only catch the tone. It stays popular because it works both sincerely as a check-in and ironically as a punchline dropped into unrelated, serious or dramatic moments.