When creator and pharmacist Arshie Larga accepted the Creator of the Year Award at the TikTok Awards Philippines 2023, he imparted a valuable message through his speech about honorable and responsible content creation.

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In the wake of Maggie Wilson’s recent issue with a smear campaign involving content creators, plenty of questions and concerns regarding misinformation and disinformation systems have been circulating online. If certain people can orchestrate such a damaging and widespread smear campaign and involve a number of influential people, how else have people with money influenced people in this way prior to this instance? How else has social media been weaponized in this way?

Involved creators have come forward to apologize and be upfront about the situation, but the damage has been done and the system exposed in a big way. Creator Sassa Gurl weighed in on the situation recently, emphasizing the power of the platform they have and the responsibility of content creators to research before utilizing their platform to spread information and influence the audience that trusts them.

As the TikTok Awards Philippines 2023 commenced on Saturday, September 30, it allowed an exploration of these issues and concerns. As TikTok Creator of the Year Arshie Larga, licensed pharmacist, accepted his award, he was able to reflect on the responsibilities content creators carry and impart a message that all of us should keep in mind whether we’re a content creator or simply a consumer.

HONOR IN CONTENT CREATION

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na nangyari ‘to😭

Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng mga nag-congratulate🤍✨ pic.twitter.com/iFWsW3guXW

— Arshie Larga (@Arshiethromycin) October 1, 2023

Marinduque-based Arshie Larga is known for his informational and often humorous medical TikToks. His content includes debunking medical and pharmaceutical myths and misconceptions, answering questions the public has about medicine, and offering support to those who may not be able to afford medicine healthcare. As a trusted resource and consistent with his work, he’s been able to build a following and a community.

“Pahalagahan natin ang community na ating na-build,” he writes in a social media post after the awards.

For his dedication to helping the community and using his platform for good, Arshie is deserving of the TikTok Creator of the Year award. His win crystallizes the value of social media and content to us as a community—how influence is power, and how power can be used to uplift, aid, and support people instead of tearing them down for a check.

ON MONEY AND USING CLOUT WISELY

I’m happy to share na kinilala po tayo bilang TikTok Creator of the Year last night during the #TikTokAwardsPH2023

Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Sobrang surreal ng mga nangyayari, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala🥹✨🤍 pic.twitter.com/iCG6BDXJqk

— Arshie Larga (@Arshiethromycin) October 1, 2023

Arshie ended his speech by making a timely and relevant statement regarding responsible content creation. Essentially, he commented on the responsibility of content creators to do the right thing and not let greed get the better of their humanity.

“As [content creators], let’s always use our platforms wisely and responsibly, and yung clout natin gamitin din natin sa tamang paraan, not only just to entertain but also to inspire people.”

And while money is a large part of content creation, he encourages creators to be more discerning and honorable when dealing with it. Content creation can be a lucrative career, and people desire to acquire money for plenty of valid reasons. But when it comes to choosing between money and one’s ethics and morals, the responsibility one carries as an influential person, and what we owe each other as human beings—kindness, decency, and truth, to name a few—we should examine our priorities and re-evaluate what kind of people and creators we want to be.

Arshie says, “Huwag tayong papasilaw sa pera. Ang pera ay kikitain pa natin PERO ang tiwala ng mga tao sa atin ay mahirap makuha o maibalik sa oras na ito’y ating sinira.”

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In such a content-saturated platform like Tiktok, these Tiktokers’ sidesplitting content deserves a place in your Following or For You feeds.

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Being funny is enough to get you clout, but to be truly successful on TikTok, you have to be consistent, smart, and strategic with your content. If you stick to your shtick and are consistently funny while still bringing something new, then you’ve struck gold. Just look at these seven TikTokers who hit gold with their comedy with their specific comedic niches and rake in millions of views!

SABRINA BRIER’S “THAT FRIEND” SKITS

@sabrina.cinoman.brier She needs all the attn #comedy #friends #nyc ♬ original sound – Sabrina Brier

Sabrina is TikTok’s (and X’s) it-girl right now, what with her accurate and authentic portrayals of friendship and girlhood, as well as her stellar fashion sense. Her content revolves around points-of-view videos about certain types of friends, like “the friend who overthinks everything” (relatable), and they’re so real that you often associate them with people you know—for better or for worse.

DELANEY ROWE’S INCREDIBLY HARD-TO-WATCH SKETCHES

@delaneysayshello

Wanna know a secret?

♬ original sound – Delaney Rowe

Delaney Rowe blew up on social media because of her scary-accurate sketches depicting character tropes like the “insufferable lead in an indie movie,” celebrity promo like “what’s in my bag” videos, and grating, real-life personalities like obnoxious restaurant-goers or full-of-themselves gym bros. Watching her videos is like watching a train wreck—it’s painful, and yet you can’t look away.

ESNYR’S SPOT-ON HIGH SCHOOL POVS

@esnyrrr

Every may school program talaga😭✋🏼

♬ original sound Ranollo – Esnyr

Filipino TikTok star Esnyr Ranollo made a name for himself as the go-to source for nostalgic school skits and POVs that capture the raw essence of Filipino high school. His portrayal of all the different types of people you probably went to school with and the different situations you probably have also experienced, like trying to escape cleaning up the classroom after class if you were a “cleaner” for the day, or trying not to laugh when your teacher’s voice cracks while giving you a lecture, makes for entertaining and addictive scrolling.

YASMINE SAHID’S WATTPAD-INSPIRED PEDRO PASCAL SERIES

@ladyyasmina1 *sigh* A girl can dream #pedropascaltiktok #imagines #fanficswattpad ♬ Night Changes – One Direction

The TikToker initially known for her “Jasper from Twilight” skits and nostalgic reenactments of youth culture started up a brand new one-woman series all about a new, young assistant named “Baguette” who is in love with her boss—who is none other than Pedro Pascal! The skits, narrated in classic Wattpad-style prose and edited in an almost realistic way, are so cringeworthy that they make you want curl up into a ball, and yet they’re so captivating you still want to know what happens next.

DR. MIAMI AND SANTINA’S SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

@therealdrmiami

Neither of us is going home until the video is perfect!

♬ original sound – The Injustice hub

Plastic surgeon Dr. Miami and his spunky Gen Z social media manager Santina are a pair always on top of the TikTok trends and pop culture news. The dynamic they portray on TikTok as an older professional at the mercy of a young, social media-savvy girlboss is hilarious as Santina makes the surgeon (and even his entire family) make viral content on the platform often at the expense of his pride. The devil works hard, but Santina works harder.

@JANELLEVEN’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL STORYTIMES

@janelleven please lang 💀 #storytime #highschool ♬ original sound – janelleven

TikTok has revealed to the world which of us are great storytellers, and which of us are not. TikToker @janelleven proves they’re the former with their Catholic school storytimes chronicling all the shenanigans that went on in their school, like the time there was an almost-stabbing and the time their batch was involved in an almost-lawsuit. The way they tell a story is as detailed and engaging as your best friend who just acquired some piping hot tea, and makes you wonder what the heck kind of school they went to.

ADRIAN BLISS’ COSTUMED COMEDIES

@adrianbliss Why mammoths went extinct #mammoth #noahsark #comedy (costumes @halloweencostumes.com ♬ original sound – Adrian Bliss

This one might be a bit of an acquired taste, but Adrian Bliss’ skits starring everything from animals and bugs to historical and biblical characters, aliens to bodily units, and more, are addicting to scroll through. His fourth-wall-breaking videos, complete with all-out costumes, are produced with much commitment and dedication to situational comedy and deadpan humor.

While the For You tab often gets us to stumble upon gems on the app, it’s always great to be able to rely on creators you vibe with. What about you? Who are some of your favorite funny TikTokers?

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