There’s no room for negativity or insecurity for Valerie Tan.
The multi-awarded events and TV host, who recently took home the Best Lifestyle Show trophy at the 38th Star Awards for TV for her travel and lifestyle program “I Heart PH,” embraces the growing popularity of travel vlogs and similar content — seeing them not as competition, but as inspiration.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday held at Novotel in Cubao, Valerie expressed enthusiasm over the proliferation of online travel content aimed at promoting Philippine tourism.
“I feel that it democratizes [travel content] and I feel like it encourages more people to travel, which is everyone’s objective naman,” she said. “I actually welcome them.”
Asked whether the rise of vloggers and influencers makes hosting “I Heart PH” more challenging, Valerie was quick to downplay any concerns. She credited her team’s commitment to delivering well-researched episodes: “We have a lot of research. We take time and making sure na this is a place that we wanna feature atsaka we really go to the nitty gritty.” She also noted that their long-form format allows for greater depth than short-form videos, offering “deeper information and entertainment.”
Following her show’s Star Awards win, Valerie admitted to feeling some pressure — but only the healthy kind.
“Actually may konting pressure pero it’s a good kind of pressure, it’s a healthy pressure like you wanna do better, you wanna prove to everyone that we deserve this award, then sana magkaroon pa kami ng future awards pa.”
With “I Heart PH” now entering its tenth season, Valerie said she’s more open than ever to feedback — something she didn’t always handle well in the past.
“Before kasi when I was younger, parang medyo masakit pa sa ego,” she recalled. “Pero ngayong matagal na tayo sa industry, parang na-realize mo… these feedbacks and the constructive criticisms are actually for you to help you be better at para umangat ka sa career mo.”
As her show continues to evolve, so does her perspective. Valerie is determined to make Season 10 — which kicks off with 3 episodes shot in collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board — her best yet, both in content and personal growth.
On the topic of future travels, Valerie shared a dream destination: Switzerland. “Para siyang painting and postcard, so gusto ko siyang puntahan. ‘Yun nga lang medyo limitado ‘yung budget kasi balita ko sobrang mahal don.”
She’s also eyeing South Africa, drawn by the idea of experiencing something completely different from her norm.
She believes travel offers numerous benefits, especially for the soul. “You get to experience something that you’re not used to; you go out of your comfort zone. You realize the world is so much bigger than what you’re used to,” she shared. Travel, she noted, provides both stress relief and “soul nourishment.”
But no matter where she goes, Valerie always returns with a stronger appreciation for home: “Syempre I always go back to my home which is the Philippines… we always have to give back to our country.”
For her, nothing beats the beauty of the Philippines.
“Sobrang mas maganda pa rin ‘yung beach natin – as in incomparable. Parang naiisip ko, bakit pumupunta pa ‘yung mga tao sa Bahamas? Sobrang ganda ng beaches natin!”
That’s why she believes Filipinos should do more to promote local tourism. “I feel like every Filipino should be an influencer of our country. Tayo ang advocate ng bansa natin.”
In the same press event, Valerie shared highlights from a recent adventure in Hong Kong, where she climbed the 14-meter tower in the annual Bun Scrambling Competition on Cheung Chau Island. Held every May, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival features a traditional Piu Sik parade — with children dressed as deities or cultural figures — and the bun tower race to collect symbolic “Ping An” (peace) buns.
Hong Kong Tourism Board Regional Director Liew Chian Jia, who also spoke at the event, encouraged Filipino travelers to approach travel with curiosity and openness. “Bring an open mind. You know, don’t stereotype what Hong Kong is. Open your mind, and they will love things that you get to see when you open your mind and explore,” she advised.
Produced by TV8 Media Productions, “I Heart PH” lines up a series of events to celebrate its success with “I RUN PH” Fun Run as a kick-off event. The fun run will be taking place at the UP Diliman this coming July 13.
The new season of “I Heart PH” unveils this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on GTV.
