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Sam YG on experiencing discrimination: ‘I'm 100% Pinoy’

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Rhea Manila Santos

<div class="MsoNormal"><img src="" alt="110214-samyg_main.jpg" width="400" height="290" align="left" border="0"/>Even though he was born and raised in the Philippines, Magic 89.9 radio host and TV personality Sam YG (Samir Gogna in real life) admitted he has also had his share of dealing with discrimination while growing up in the Philippines. The talented host said he is already used to people who have pre-conceived notions of <i>“bumbays.”</i> “I&#x27;m 100% Pinoy. There&#x27;s no question about that. You&#x27;d be surprised <i>kasi kahit</i> my parents are pure Indian they speak Tagalog. That&#x27;s the language I&#x27;m comfortable with. My friends are practically all Pinoys, <i>dun ako lumaki</i> <i>eh. Parang nasa dugo ko na siya,”</i> he admitted during his launch as one of the celebrity ambassadors of the Cebu Lhuillier nationwide search for the Happiest Pinoy event held at the Shangri-la hotel Makati last October 24.</div><p class="MsoNormal">Sam said that even though his daily radio program Boys Night Out can get a bit naughty, he said he always tries to balance out the image with being wholesome as well. “There&#x27;s always a line you have to draw. There&#x27;s a word na <i>&#x27;bastos&#x27;</i> but there&#x27;s also a word na <i>&#x27;pilyo.&#x27;</i> Drawing that fine line between hurting someone or offending someone and that&#x27;s where you figure things out. You can be a bit naughty or <i>maloko, lahat naman tayo ganun eh.</i> But as long as you know you’re not hurting anybody, you’re not stepping on anyone&#x27;s toes,” he explained.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Now that he is a Search for the Happiest Pinoy ambassador along with host and author RJ Ledesma, he said he has always been a positive and happy individual.  “Number one I think I&#x27;m a happy person. Actually there&#x27;s people who tell me, &#x27;Sam actually never <i>kitang nakikitang malungkot.</i> You&#x27;re always so full of energy, so full of life.&#x27; Making people happy makes me happy. It&#x27;s plugging your phone into a socket and charging your phone<i> tapos buhay ka na naman.</i> Whether it&#x27;s work of what not, it&#x27;s so fulfilling to see people happy. And what better way to celebrate that then to be part of such a wonderful campaign of looking for the happiest Pinoy? <i>Alam naman ng mga tao na ang Pinoy laging masaya.</i> But what makes us the happiest people on the face of the earth? When I got the brief for the campaign I was so excited <i>kasi</i> it&#x27;s my kind of thing,” he admitted.</p><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Photo credit to _samyg IG</i></div><div><br/></div><div><div><img src="" alt="110214-samyg_main.jpg" width="400" height="290" align="left" border="0"/>The popular male radio DJ said he has always admired just how positive his countrymen can be. “I think there&#x27;s something inside the Filipino spirit. We&#x27;ve been through storms and earthquakes and we&#x27;re a small country, <i>‘di ba? </i>We&#x27;re not exactly the most modern country but despite everything that we go through, we see a light at the end of the tunnel. Filipinos always find and manage to see the pride despite things. It&#x27;s commendable. They always see the glass half-full and that&#x27;s amazing. People in other countries maybe rich and everything but <i>yung buhay nila hindi kasing saya ng Pinoy eh</i>. They would come here and say this is the happiest place on earth, the vibe, the aura of a Pinoy is just different. We&#x27;re hospitable. <i>Aalukin natin pagkain kahit last french fry na natin,</i> We&#x27;re like that eh,” he admitted.</div><div><br/></div><div>As the nationwide search goes on until 2015, Sam gave tips on how to find your true happiness. “Honestly, I think it&#x27;s not just about being happy outside, what I&#x27;m looking for is somebody who is happy on the inside. Because it all starts from within. If you&#x27;re happy from within, I think it will come naturally to make other people happy and being a source of inspiration, a source of light to others. You can&#x27;t fake happiness from within. I do a show practically everyday, making people happy. And it&#x27;s hard to do a show <i>na masama ang loob mo, mahirap yun. ‘Pag hindi ka masaya, malalaman ng tao yun</i>. You really can&#x27;t fake it,” he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>Apart from hosting, Sam said he is also into several food businesses. “Since the ber months, there&#x27;s been a lot of things going on especially with events. There&#x27;s Bugsy&#x27;s Restobar, I&#x27;m one of the partners there and also there&#x27;s one coming up in UP Town Center very soon in Katipunan. Also Raven Manila at the fort and a shirt business for Boys Night Out called BNO Tees,” he shared.</div><div><br/></div><div>When it comes to his love life, Sam said he hopes he finds the right woman for him some day. <i>“Siyempre ang sabi nga nila,</i> &#x27;You can&#x27;t deny the Pinay&#x27; (laughs). S<i>ana may mag-invest ng love sa akin.</i> Right now I&#x27;m single. I&#x27;ve been really busy these past few months. I&#x27;m just casually dating when I have time, but nothing serious as of now,” he said.</div></div><div><br/></div><div><i>Photo credit to _samyg IG</i></div><div><br/></div>