Gab Valenciano revealed on his Facebook account last Sunday why he left the country three years ago and his revelation was quite shocking. Showbiz hopefuls pay attention to Gab’s words because you might pick up a thing or two from this article.
In a nutshell he said that “the entertainment industry in the Philippines made me feel like one of the most worthless artists in the history of artists.”
According to Gary Valenciano’s son, before he went to the United States back in 2012, he was actually “secretly hiding under an umbrella of depression for a good 4 years, drowning in an industry I was never really accepted in and masking it by going out almost every night and making the worst decisions in life.”
“[It is] a system that sincerely believes that being light-skinned is a privilege. That talent is nothing but a bonus accessory. That looking good is a much greater necessity than actually being good. That hard work doesn’t get you anywhere, it’s who you know and how far you’re willing to go to live the dream. That the destination is much more relevant than the journey. That your self-worth is based on the number of followers you have. That your every asset is fixated on branding and advertising. That being amazing gets you hits, but doesn’t provide you with a life you deserve. That it is okay for corporations to believe in a quantity over quality business model over excellence. That desiring to actually love what you do comes with a hefty price tag,” he revealed.
Valenciano did admit that it was a challenge for him to move to a different country but he stuck by his big decision “because I believe in a much bigger picture.”
“I needed to spend 3 years abroad and work with the biggest ‘stars’ just to gain the respect every artist deserves. Not like I was out to prove anything, I was just doing what I loved to do the best way I knew how. What is it with the obsession of international success? Why do we have to succeed elsewhere to be recognized? Is it some kind of winning formula? Charice, Arnel etc,” he elaborated.
Valenciano also confirmed that he is finally happy where he is.
“If you ask me why I love where I am with everything I’ve got, it’s probably because despite my obsession with rainbow coloured spandex, afro’s, rad 80’s music and dancing like a complete idiot, I was accepted and appreciated beyond what I could have ever imagined, ultimately propelling me to my dream career and profession, professional filmmaking… The moment you understand your true value, that not everything is based on fame or fortune, will be the very same moment you understand what it means to be truly happy,” he quipped.
Although he admits that he still has a long way to go towards accomplishing his goals, he confirmed that he is well on the way.
“I am happy now yes, but I still have a very VERY long way to go. I have given myself a 10 to 15-year life blueprint filled with dreams, goals, plans and ambitions. One of the many things being abroad has brutally taught me is to live and dream long-term. No shortcuts. No cutting corners. Success is objective and the world tends to dictate what success is. To me, success is happiness,” he expressed.
He also said that if you really want to be successful then you need to step out of your comfort zone and take the plunge.
“You feel like the fire burning in you is dying because your passion isn’t fuelled up or supported by your very own country and countrymen. You deserve so much more and the only way to heal yourself is by making life-changing decisions. Step out of your comfort zone. Travel. Explore. Be brave. Meet new people. Jump out of a plane. Learn different cultures. Don’t be so freaking close minded. Traffic and corruption sucks? Stop complaining. Do something about it. Be willing to risk it all.”
Finally, he concluded that what he did is not for everyone.
“This isn’t for everyone. I know people who are absolutely content and happy with their lives in the Philippines. And I have much respect for them. This is for a very specific group of people who have gone or are going through what I went through. Also, if you are wondering why I didn’t include any faith-based concepts, it’s because I am speaking from a very realistic point-of-view.”
