Marcos strikes YouTube ‘Gold,’ thanks his 1M subscribers

CONTENT CREATOR | In a video posted on Friday, President Marcos presents the Gold Play Button awarded to him by video-sharing platform YouTube, after his channel  reached 1 million subscribers. —(Photo from a video posted Marcos’ YouTube channel)

MANILA, Philippines — Describing it as the “best Christmas gift ever,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked his social media followers for the Gold Play Button that he won in YouTube after he reached 1 million subscribers on the video-sharing platform.

In a 42-second video posted on his YouTube channel on Friday, Marcos referred to the Gold Play Button as “this wonderful Christmas gift.”

“We have long been waiting for this,” he said. “I would like to thank everyone who follows me,” the president said

He urged his followers to continue supporting him.

The Gold Play Button is one of five awards conferred by YouTube to content creators who have reached a considerable following.

The highest award is the Red Diamond Play Button, given to creators who have reached 100 million subscribers.

In terms of views, Marcos has exceeded that number. His channel, which he created in November 2009, had 136,943,492 views as of Saturday, Christmas Eve.

Videos that ‘delight’

YouTube has a video about its Play Buttons, but there is nothing about any of these awards being convertible to monetary compensation.

Content creators, however, can monetize their videos if they are accepted into YouTube’s Partner Program.

Apart from advertisers and paid memberships, creators can earn from followers who pay to have their comments highlighted. They may also have a share of YouTube’s subscription revenues each time their content is viewed.

BIR circular

Furthermore, YouTube has a $100 million fund for “creative, original” short videos that “delight the YouTube community,” the platform said in its guidelines.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 97-2021 last year which obligates social media influencers to pay taxes.

The circular noted that “certain social media influencers have not been paying their income taxes despite earning huge income from the different social media platforms.”

Marcos also issued a Christmas message urging Filipinos to spend this holiday season with “love, compassion, and hopeful beginnings.”

“No matter the evolution of its observance, it is imperative that we emphasize the true essence of this holiday—love,” the President said in his message issued on Saturday by the Office of the Press Secretary.

‘Buzz and activities’

“Let our spirits not dwell on the adornments that we display, on the buzz and activities that we create, nor on the lack thereof. Instead, let us partake in this holiday with the same simplicity, sense and meaning that we get from it,” Marcos said.

“Across beliefs, all the generosity and goodwill stirred in this season are welcomed. Surely, embracing these will help us overcome the difficulties brought by the pandemic and other challenges,” he added.

Press Undersecretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said the President and his family will spend Christmas Day in Malacañang.

—WITH A REPORT FROM ANA ROA, INQUIRER RESEARCH