Special Features
Paano Ba ’To: Supermom Bianca Gonzalez-Intal Tackles Digital Presence and Purpose
A massive following and a trusted persona may have been years in the making, but with conscientious designs and a family-first mindset, the deserved success was undoubtedly forthcoming
While the aughts served as the testing grounds for many of our current digital personalities, Bianca Gonzalez-Intal had already made a name for herself as a prized television host who resonated with the young generation. She was intelligent, articulate, and very relatable. A woman with a gentle demeanor, pleasant to audiences but also had a strong point of view that was effective and respected.
Bianca had already planted the seeds of her digital presence during this decade. She started a blog, which soon captivated a loyal following. Her written work on the platform was earnest and well-received. So it was only but natural that many of her avid followers would join her with every social media platform arrival. More windows of opportunity soon opened. And clearly, her perspective and influence did not go unnoticed.
In the last decade, culture fiends have witnessed her growth in the entertainment and digital industry. Most followed in the celebrity influencer’s career include her hosting of the local iteration of hit reality television show Big Brother and an editorship at youth magazine MEG. By 2014, she had tied the knot with PBA cager JC Intal, and in the succeeding years after, welcomed daughters Lucia and Carmen.
The birth of “Paano Ba ‘To”
Among her many showbiz ventures, one of the most discussed is her vlog, Paano Ba ‘To?, which readers can watch on Facebook and YouTube. The idea was borne from a book she penned with the same title back in 2014. Paano Ba ‘To: How to Survive Growing Up offered sound pieces of advice for a slew of relevant issues with the aid of personal anecdotes from celebrities.
“I still remember pitching it to Suki (Salvador, President of One Mega Group) and Sari (Yap, One Mega Group’s late founder) then, and they were game with it right away,” Bianca recalls. “I remember that time I was Editor-in-Chief pa of MEG. And so, my far-off dream before of writing my own book sort of became closer to reality because I was in the publishing world.” Her book venture proved to be a success. But it was only until a few years after that she thought of translating the idea to an online show.
“For the longest time, I’ve been wanting to be on YouTube. But my personality kasi is I’m very shy and very private so I’m not the type to do challenges, a house tour, or a day in my life—it’s so not my personality. I was thinking of how can I be on it without being on it. I thought of different concepts. Until one time, I realized that the idea of the book, Paano Ba ‘To?, was the concept I’ve been waiting for. Which is, I have a guest, I have a letter sender, and they give advice. So that’s really how it was born in 2016,” Bianca explains.
Transforming ideas to content
What makes Bianca’s content equally super is not just the timeliness of her selected topics. Her brand of empathy and sincerity that charmed her early followers continues to emanate the same attractive glow in her content. Delicate topics are handled with care, and light moments are injected thoughtfully. And perhaps this is reason enough as to why new followers are easily drawn to her endearing character.
A huge part of staying relevant and being mindful of what her viewers want and need is social listening. And for Bianca, consuming pop culture is essential not just to understand her demographic, but also to ensure that the build of her content goes beyond super. Timing is of utmost importance. As soon as an issue pops out, research commences. And sometimes, all it takes is a few DMs with reliable experts, and a story is underway.
One of the things Bianca is proud of is how she is able to connect with people who are just as willing to offer expert advice. She says, “I’m thankful that everyone I’ve asked has said yes. I think it’s largely because of that giving back idea behind Paano Ba ’To? Everyone wants to share and help in some sort of way.” Good intentions all considered, the show’s success has seen it garner several thousands to even a million of views, a steady rise of subscribers, and just this year, a Podcast.
Insights on online feedback
As someone who started her career at the turn of the millennium, Bianca traversed the fast-paced development of media, from television to digital. And while the striking differences of each platform deliver varying sets of issues, having been part of these changes prepared her to grow in her own unique ways.
Feedback, for one, became more instant. She says, “I think working pre-social media days helped a lot because when I started out in TV, ang nakukunan namin ng feedback was tabloids—like the harshest way. So either a tabloid praises you, which is a good thing. Or they will make up some stuff about you, which is the most terrible thing. So that was early training for what was to come on social media.”
But never to turn her back on these extra challenges, Bianca takes it upon herself to sift through comments and learn from well-intentioned feedback. “I like reading through both positive and negative only because I feel like it strikes a balance. There are some kasi that are negative na yung talagang, ‘That was just mean!’, so that’s not even on the equation. But some are really truly constructive. Or even if medyo mean siya, parang there’s still something. May makukuha ka pa rin. It’s still difficult. I don’t think it has gotten easier to read negative comments,” she muses.
Marrying passion and purpose
As a mom, Bianca is very mindful of what she posts. Of course, the occasional branded posts are directed by sponsors who adore her influence and award her the deserved credence. But each image, caption, and video is imbued with her personal touch of character. Her honest account of acne problems reeled many new followers, who like her, dealt with skin problems daily.
And soon enough, #NormalizeAcne gained traction with her digital audience. Aside from her dermatologist’s advice, she also offered an easy-to-follow routine of Gentle Skin Cleanser, a light variant of Moisturizing Cream and hydrating eye cream serum, all from Cetaphil. Stories like this not only inspire the trust of beloved brands like Cetaphil but are also testaments to her cherished authenticity.
Yes, Bianca does wonder whether more trendy material would rack in more views. But the thoughtfulness that comes with her creative process zeroes in on purpose at the end of the day. And there is comfort in her self-assured perspective, “For me, every day is a conscious choice that, ‘Okay I know that this video will only get five thousand views as opposed to the two hundred thousand views if I did more popular type of content.’ But kasi I know it’s very clear to me—the purpose of Paano Ba ‘To—that it’s really not about the numbers but whoever gets to watch the video that needed to watch it at that point in his or her life. Kasi I existed in the industry prior to social media, so I guess when social media came, sure na ako dun sa kung sino ako and what I wanted to bring.”
Why Super Bianca is a super mom
As someone who has faced, overcome, and consequentially helped others hurdle similar life challenges, Bianca Gonzalez-Intal extends her guiding hand to their two daughters. And while preparations for their own digital arrivals have been made (such as reserving account names and emails), the dates as to when their kids will be able to manage these accounts are not something they think about, for now. Fans, however, can enjoy viewing snippets of their childhood from the couple’s individual accounts.
“For us, each couple and each family have their own threshold when it comes to how much to make public and how much to keep private. We all have different boundaries, and it’s just important that you as a couple figure that out, especially when you have kids. Kasi some are more comfortable being very open, while some like us are more private.”
In an age where platforms and aesthetics often belie intentions and perspectives, earning the public’s trust does not come easily. With Bianca, establishing local foundations, exhibiting consistent good nature, and an assiduous humility that has seen her through each industry stage has earned her a comfortable spot in the digital space. So for a woman who keeps asking “Paano ba ‘to?”, the public is only ever happy to rely on her voice to answer their “Paano na ‘to?”
Words PIPO GONZALES
Photography KIERAN PUNAY
Art Direction MARC PAGDILAO
Styling RAIN DAGALA
Makeup CARELL GARCIA
Hairstyling JOSEPH FANTONE for COLORBAR PH
Sittings Editor MARGA MEDRANO-TUPAZ
Shot on location at UNWND Flats
