For Gabbi Garcia, social media ‘a gift, not a weapon’

Gabbi Garcia

If Gabbi Garcia could give a reminder to her fellow social media users, it would be this: “Look at it as a gift; not a weapon.”

“I feel like sometimes people, myself included, forget that it’s a gift used to connect with each other. It’s not meant for hurting others,” Gabbi pointed out in a virtual conference for “IRL (In Real Life),” a new youth-oriented reality show that she hosts on GMA News TV.

“I hope we can stop fighting each other,” she added. “At the end of the day, we all want the same things—to improve, make life better. Let’s stick to our goals as much as best as we can … As long as our intentions are pure and we’re not stepping on anyone, then it’s all good.”

Social media can be a powerful tool to influence others. And so it’s important that everyone, especially those with considerable followings, uses his or her platform responsibly.

“We’re free to speak our minds, but let’s make sure we know what we’re talking about. As long as you have done your research and have educated yourself, as long as you don’t hurt or disrespect anyone, go ahead—express what’s on your minds,” said the 22-year-old Kapuso star, who has over 6.8 million followers on Instagram and 1.16 million subscribers on YouTube.

“In Real Life,” which airs Thursdays at 9:15 p.m., “features the latest on travel, music, sports, fashion, gaming, career, love and relationships, and everything else inside and outside of their digital world.”

“It’s a magazine show where we can talk just about anything under the sun. In this age of social media, lots of people, especially my Generation Z fellows are looking for safe spaces to discuss such topics. And I want the show to provide that,” she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic, she said, has compelled her to hit the pause button and reflect. “We have to value whatever we have. Sometimes we forget that there’s a higher being who controls everything. It had me thinking about the importance of family or loved ones,” she said.

But it’s good to finally be working outside. One of the best things about the show is shooting on location—a breath of fresh air after months of quarantine.

“It was nice to go out and see and talk to people,” said Gabbi, who shot the maiden episode in Tagaytay with her guest cohost, boyfriend Khalil Ramos. “Safety protocols were followed, of course.”

While she started out in show biz as an actress, Gabbi adjusted to hosting fairly easily, thanks to her experience as a vlogger and her propensity for public speaking.

“As an actor you’re used to following scripts; in television, you usually read from prompters. So at first I wondered how I could talk more naturally … But vlogging helped me,” she related. “I was also a part of the student council and I love public speaking. I loved doing opening remarks, leading the prayer … I think that helped, too.”

But she still has a lot to learn, Gabbi admitted. “It’s still a learning process for me … I have a lot to improve. I have to do more research and build more confidence as a host.”

“What I want to achieve is to create a vibe where it feels like I’m just chatting with my viewers as I share my insights about certain topics. I love that I don’t have to follow a script all the time. I’m given the freedom to speak about what’s on my mind,” she said.