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Ylona Garcia: I was bullied because of the color of my skin

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ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><div style="padding-top:66.375%"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1467659" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></div></figure><p>MANILA - Singer and former &quot;Pinoy Big Brother&quot; housemate Ylona Garcia has revealed that she was once bullied at a school in Australia because of her dark skin color.</p><p>&quot;When I was 9 years old, I was bullied by the color of my skin, how I looked different compared to the other people,&quot; she said in a taped interview on &quot;Tonight with Boy Abunda&quot; that aired Wednesday night.</p><p>&quot;In my school kasi dati, everyone was like white-skinned. But I&#x27;m thankful for those scars. I wouldn&#x27;t be who I am right now if it wasn&#x27;t for it.&quot;</p><p>Garcia was born in Sydney but found fame in the Philippines following her stint on the popular reality television show. The 14-year-old had said that she has always been interested in the Filipino culture after being exposed to it by her Filipina grandmother.</p><p>Garcia, in the same interview on the late night talk show, also opened about her relationship with fellow &quot;Pinoy Big Brother&quot; housemate and rumored boyfriend Bailey May. &quot;He&#x27;s one of my closest friends,&quot; she said, calling the British-Filipino teen a &quot;real gentleman.&quot;</p><p>She also talked about her upcoming live online concert dubbed &quot;My Name is Ylona Garcia,&quot; spearheaded by One Music PH. It is the second of its kind this year following one headlined by Yeng Constantino.</p>

'When I was 9 years old, I was bullied by the color of my skin,' admits Ylona Garcia.