TIKTOK capped off the year by honoring Filipino content creators and businesses for their impact on and beyond the platform during its thanksgiving event on Tuesday in Makati.
Bea Bautista, communication head of TikTok Philippines, told BusinessWorld that this year’s awards revolve around three key pillars: creative impact, economic impact, and societal impact.
“This year, we really focused on positive impact. On TikTok, we always make it a point to have a very vibrant community. We also ensure that it is safe, positive, and empowering,” Ms. Bautista said in an interview.
Among this year’s awardees in the economic impact category are Josefina’s Homemade Food, which started as a small carinderia in Bicol and has since gained attention for its bottled Filipino gourmet dishes, and Alta Philippines, a Marikina-based shoe brand that has provided employment for veteran shoemakers and senior citizens.
Both winners were chosen due to their inspiring stories, Ms. Bautista said, “They started from very small, and they were able to build their business. It’s heartwarming to see how TikTok Shop was able to help them truly grow that business.”
Under the creative impact category, Lenie Aycardo, known for her innovative and elevated makeup trends, and Icoy Rapadas, an emerging food content creator, have both won the award for showcasing the depth of Filipino creativity, Ms. Bautista said.
Four awardees were recognized under the societal impact category: Arshie Larga, a pharmacist creating content on medical issues and Kuya Kim Atienza, known for his relatable and educational content.
LoveYourself PH was also recognized for elevating TikTok to advocate for Human Immunodeficiency Virus awareness and Jax Reyes, a content creator who has made financial literacy more accessible to Filipinos.
Mr. Larga, who also won the 2023 TikTok Creator of the Year award, told BusinessWorld that receiving this recognition validates his craft, as he has been creating content since 2020, which he considers a relatively long time.
“It really validates (my content creation) that you’re really on a right track, you’re doing something good,” Mr. Larga said in an interview.
Meanwhile, for Mr. Reyes, receiving the award has brought him great joy. He credited his followers for their support in helping him reach this point and expressed gratitude to TikTok for providing him with the platform to share his content.
“I feel humbled because I did not expect anything, but at least I know, at the very least, that I’m doing good for the community and the country,” Mr. Reyes told BusinessWorld.
In 2025, Mr. Larga hopes to return to his pharmacy to focus on creating more medical-related content, as his travels have kept him busier this year. Meanwhile, Mr. Reyes plans to continue producing content and to further elevate it.
TikTok in 2025 focuses on empowerment, as Ms. Bautista described. More Filipino stories and the ways the platform supported them will be featured in the upcoming year. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
