With the arrival of 2021’s Year of the Metal Ox, CHiNOY TV has put together its inaugural CHY List, which aims to annually celebrate the achievements of 10 Chinoys who have all accomplished great things, inspired others, and made significant contributions to their respective fields and beyond.
For this feature, we are lending the spotlight to one of the most prominent figures in the Filipino entertainment industry. Capturing the hearts of the nation following her win in the reality series Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition, this charming Chinita Princess has not only garnered public acclaim for her works in television and film but has also contributed efforts to making the lives of the Filipinos a little bit brighter.
Here are four amazing things that Kim Chiu has accomplished in 2020:
1. She released “Bawal Lumabas (The Classroom Song)” to encourage safety during the pandemic and more.
In May 2020, Kim Chiu accidentally compared ABS-CBN’s shutdown to the dynamics of a classroom, confusing much of the online public during a Facebook Live session. Turning the statement into a meme, music arranger DJ Squammy then created a humorous viral remix, which caused the Internet to explode.
“Bawal Lumabas (The Classroom Song)” was Chiu’s creative response to the entire ordeal. Releasing a music video of the song on her official YouTube account, Chiu used the opportunity to encourage viewers to stay at home, promote outreach programs, and laugh off her mistake with a mishmash of TikTok users dancing to the beat of DJ Squammy’s remix.
As of this writing, the music video and Wish 107.5 performance of “Bawal Lumabas” have gained a sum of more than 15 million views. The song is currently available on Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes, Deezer, and Amazon.
2. She turned “Bawal Lumabas” into a COVID-19 fund-raising drive.
Using the virality of both her gaffe and new song, Chiu sold limited-edition Bawal Lumabas merchandise to raise funds for charity, garnering enough to purchase food packages for 1,500 marginalized families. Additionally, Chiu was able to source another P300,000 for donations to Shop and Share, a fundraising mass-testing project headed by fellow celebrities Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis, and Dimples Romana.
In recognition of these efforts, Forbes Asia even included Chiu in the 2020 edition of its 100 Digital Stars list.
Kim Chiu wears her own Bawal Lumabas merchandise. Source: @chinitaprincess, Instagram
3. She starred in the 2020 hit series Love Thy Woman.
Kim Chiu starred as Jia E. Wong in Love Thy Woman, a soap opera that depicts the struggles of a Chinese-Filipino family who fight amongst themselves in a bid to seize control of the multimillion family business.
The drama, noted for its themes of Chinese and Filipino values, was highly successful during its February to September run on ABS-CBN and the Kapamilya Channel.
4. She spearheaded a relief operation for Typhoon Ulysses victims.
To mark the end of 2020, Chiu visited several places that were ravaged by Typhoon Ulysses. Posting on her official Instagram account, the actress revealed that she had been involved in an initiative that gave out food packages to 800 families and food for 1,500 people.
Kim Chiu prepares donations for Typhoon Ulysses victims. Source: @chinitaprincess, Instagram
“It’s a [three-hour] drive,” wrote Chiu in her Instagram post. “But right when we get there, seeing those beautiful smiles is very precious.”
Reflecting on the events that had happened in the past year, Chiu continued, “This year is a year full of challenge, fear, sadness, doubts, judgment. It’s like the world transformed into something we don’t even know. But keeping a beautiful mindset. Having that faith and not let go. Being kind to one another. Give joy, love, and peace. The world will become its old self again. Let’s all be a blessing to one another.”
Curious about the other CHY List honorees? For the complete inaugural CHY List, check out the article here.
In addition to celebrating the achievements of the Filipino-Chinese, CHiNOY TV also actively supports the Chinoy creative community. This year’s CHY List photos have been produced in partnership with Chinoy sketch artist Lexter Ang. For more of his works, check out his Facebook page Sketch with Lex!
