Two ‘Bisaya’ land in coveted YouTube NextUp program

Albert Dwight Tamayo (back row, third from left) of Masbate and Rhea Alducente (front rown, third from left) are two of the winners  of YouTube NextUp Manila 2019, a contest that gives Filipino creators a chance to elevate their careers as vloggers. | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Albert Dwight Tamayo just passed the licensure examination for nurses in 2009 when reality hit him on the face: there were no local opportunities in the nursing field.

Even then, he tried applying for jobs in Cebu, where he also spent four years studying in a well-known nursing and medical university.

While waiting to be hired as a nurse, Dwight engaged in the buy-and-sell  business from 2009 to 2011.

But two years of waiting made Dwight realized that it is high time to make a move and carve his own path as an agri-enterpreneur by opening his own poultry farm in 2011.

Then 22 years old, Dwight went back to his hometown in Palanas, Masbate to start his poultry farm.

Nobody in his family was into farming but Tamayo was bent on starting a business that he is passionate about.

He studied the tricks of the trade and poured several hours in research and exposure in other farms.

“I went back to my province and ventured into business. Since Masbate is an island province, I decided to sell a product that is locally made and highly consummable,” he tells CDN Digital. 

“I was able to see an opportunity in layer poultry farming because back then, eggs are always on high demand and we were purchasing the products from the neighboring provinces,” he recalls. 

With a seed capital worth P100,000 that he borrowed from his parents, Tamayo embarked on a journey that since taught him the values of hardwork, perseverance and patience.

For seven years, the business was doing well and Tamayo was earning a considerable amount of money that allowed him to hire people in his community.

But the calling to further spread the advocacy of helping people become their own boss by starting their own business was too strong that in April 2018, Tamayo — upon the prodding of her then fiancee now wife, Christine May — started his own YouTube channel.

“At first, he didn’t like the idea of it because he doesn’t know how to shoot those videos. He didn’t have the gadgets and he is very shy so I told him I will let you borrow my gadgets and I will help you on the technical part,” says Christine May.

Christine May says she saw Dwight’s potential and it will be a waste if his knowledge and expertise will not be shared to others who might be interested to pursue the same field as him.

Christine May became Dwight’s coach and together they learned how to navigate the world of vlogging.

A year after, Dwight’s YouTube channel gained 16,756 subscribers (currently it has more than 19,000 subscribers), which proves that there is a growing interest in agriculture.

In his channel, Dwight shares his expertise and knowledge on layer poultry farming. His videos vary from tips on poultry building design to question and answer episodes on starting a poultry business.

Couple Dwight Tamayo and Christine May Arcenas-Tamayo answer questions during the YouTube NextUp unveiling ceremony in early September 2019. Dwight made it as one of program’s 12 winners. Christine May encouraged him to start his YouTube Channel in April 2018. | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

“It (YouTube channel) motivated me to do better in what I do. I share to my subscribers what I am passionate about and in turn, I help them to be motivated and inspired to do something. I never thought that was possible,” he says.

Christine May says Dwight is also able to earn additional income from his YouTube channel.

He also gained clients because of his channel.

YouTube winner 

On September 4, 2019, Dwight along with 11 vloggers were presented as the winners of YouTube NextUp Manila 2019, a nationwide contest that gives Filipino creators a chance to realize their full potential and help them elevate their careers as vloggers.

Dwight, now 30 years old, was joined by another Visayan vlogger, Rhea Alducente, who shares stories and tips on how to survive the call center lifestyle under the YouTube channel, Rea Ninja.

Rhea, a former corporate employee and is now a content creator, started her YouTube channel in 2017 and now has more than 62,000 subscribers.

This is the first time that creators from Cebu and Masbate made it to the list of winners in the YouTube NextUp program.

Dwight and Rhea are joined by 10 vloggers under the following YouTube channels: Reese Lansangan, Aileene., Lex in Motion, Kuys Kiko, Chief MAKOi, Mark More, Raya Maurelle, Charlotte F., Nadia Montenegro, and Caleb Santos.

NextUp was first launched in the Philippines in 2017.

Growth 

Marc Lefkowitz, head of creator and artist development of YouTube Asia-Pacific (APAC), says the NextUp program continues to grow in terms of the number of applicants and in the diversity of its winners.

“Every year, we see more and more creators joining the contest from outside Manila representing various languages, topics and passion points. This proves that anyone can make it on YouTube,” he says.

Marc Lefkowitz, head of creator and artist development of YouTube Asia-Pacific (APAC), says the NextUp program is growing not just in number but also in terms of the participants’ diversity. | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Lefkowitz says he hopes that this trend will continue to “further signify that YouTube is truly a home for every creator.”

By being part of the program, the winners participated in a weeklong Creator Camp where they underwent a crash course on production techniques and received in-depth training to further build their channels.

Their mentors is include YouTube stars, industry experts and NextUp alumni.

They also took a voucher worth P105,000 which is designated to level up their production gears.

YouTube’s Creator and Artist Development team will provide guidance and strategic account management support.

Vishal Sarin, director of content partnership of YouTube Southeast Asia, said they are committed to sustain YouTube’s growth in the Philippines by supporting initiatives such as the NextUp program.

“With NextUp, we strive to help current and aspiring Filipino creators to hone their talents and skills and enable them to create meaningful content on YouTube,” he says.

Sarin says NextUp has discovered local talents in the last three years of its run in the Philippines, which include singer-songwriter Renee Dominique, comedian Benedict Cua, and electro-pop artist Lesha.

For Dwight, who never expected that his “probinsyano” accent will make it to the coveted creator program, a new chapter has unfolded in his career as a vlogger and a husband to Christine May.

The two got married on September 19, two weeks after they joined the creator camp.

“This will motivate me to do better in my craft so that I can really communicate my message to my subscribers. This will also make me more responsible… to not stop learning because I have the responsibility to my audience to inspire them to do their own business,” says Dwight. / bmjo