TikTok Launches First Southeast Asia Awards With Filipino Creators in the Running
Last Updated on October 12, 2026 by Over Here Toronto
TikTok has launched its first TikTok Awards Southeast Asia, with 33 Filipino creators in the running across 11 categories. Voting opened on October 12 and runs until October 26, giving Filipino users the chance to choose who will represent the country at the regional awards.
The 2026 event carries the theme “The Ones Who Spark It.” It brings together creators from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Categories cover food, sports, entertainment, education, fashion, lifestyle, TikTok LIVE, TikTok Shop, rising creators, viral videos, and Creator of the Year.
The regional winners will be announced in Bali, Indonesia, on November 27.
Filipino Creators Compete Across 11 Categories
TikTok has named three Philippine nominees in each category.
Here is the full Philippine lineup:
- Creator of the Year: @aynbernos, @davaoconyo, @urfujicko
- Rising Creator of the Year: @ianmark2020, @heyitsbaus, @eko06004
- Education Creator of the Year: @thisislans_, @rebranger, @lyqamaravilla
- Sports Creator of the Year: @margauxnonato, @arianaevangelista02, @rubinpatrick
- Food Creator of the Year: @jujumaoo, @ninongry, @foodiefred
- Entertainment Creator of the Year: @charlizeruth, @spencer_serafica, @sesbombchris
- Beauty & Fashion Creator of the Year: @paupelaez_, @thekyliecelebre, @andenglangqt
- Lifestyle Creator of the Year: @itsjeanette, @itsnickosia, @bellerodolfo
- Popular Video of the Year: “Lissential Skills” by @jb.suarez, “Hanggang Ngayon” Transition Trend by @johnmarkgonn, and Best Song for Night Run Challenge by @jomaryee
- TikTok LIVE Creator of the Year: @imryssi, @kamille0422, @pkprincesstheawolf
- TikTok Shop Creator of the Year: @danibarrettop, @aerieljantolentino, @d_laurel
The lineup covers many parts of TikTok, from food reviews and learning videos to fashion, comedy, livestreaming, and shopping content.
Voting Runs Until October 26
The first round happens at the country level.
Filipino TikTok users can vote from October 12 until 11:59 p.m. on October 26.
To join, open the TikTok app and search #TikTokAwardsSEA. The search will lead to the awards page, where users can vote for nominees in the different categories.
Each user receives at least 15 votes per day.
Votes can be spread across several nominees or used more than once on the same creator.
The Filipino nominee with the highest number of votes in each category will move forward as the Philippines’ representative.
That means the current list of 33 nominees is not yet the final regional lineup.
Philippine Representatives Will Be Announced in November
TikTok plans to announce the Philippine representatives on November 5 in Manila.
The winners from the Philippine voting round will then compete against creators from five other Southeast Asian markets:
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Vietnam
The final regional awards will take place on November 27 in Bali, Indonesia.
The setup gives creators two stages to pass through. They first need support from their home market before moving on to the Southeast Asian round.
TikTok Puts Southeast Asian Creators on One Regional Stage
TikTok already runs local creator awards and programs in several countries across Southeast Asia.
The 2026 awards bring those markets together for the first regional edition.
TikTok General Manager of Content Operations for Southeast Asia Angga Anugrah Putra said creators can turn online trends into something that reaches beyond the platform.
“Trends don’t just happen; they spark meaningful conversations, cultural phenomena, and real-world impact.”
TikTok said creators across the region use their content to form communities, grow businesses, share knowledge, and build new sources of income.
The regional awards now give Filipino creators the chance to compete beyond the Philippine market.
Food, Education, Sports and Fashion Get Their Own Categories
The categories show how much TikTok has grown beyond dance videos and short comedy clips.
Food creators @jujumaoo, @ninongry, and @foodiefred are competing for Food Creator of the Year.
For education, the nominees are @thisislans_, @rebranger, and @lyqamaravilla.
The sports category includes @margauxnonato, @arianaevangelista02, and @rubinpatrick.
Meanwhile, @paupelaez_, @thekyliecelebre, and @andenglangqt are competing in Beauty & Fashion Creator of the Year.
Giving these fields their own categories lets creators compete with others working in similar types of content.
TikTok Shop and LIVE Creators Are Included
Commerce and livestreaming also have separate awards.
For TikTok Shop Creator of the Year, the Philippine nominees are @danibarrettop, @aerieljantolentino, and @d_laurel.
TikTok Shop has become a major part of the platform in the Philippines. Creators can feature products in regular posts or sell directly through livestreams.
TikTok LIVE also gets its own category.
The nominees are @imryssi, @kamille0422, and @pkprincesstheawolf.
@imryssi has already received regional attention after earning a Legend Award at TikTok LIVE Community Fest 2026.
Meanwhile, @kamille0422 was named TikTok LIVE Creator of the Year during the first Philippine TikTok LIVE Awards earlier in 2026.
Viral Videos Have Their Own Award
The Popular Video of the Year category focuses on individual videos and trends instead of a creator’s full body of work.
The Philippine nominees are:
- “Lissential Skills” by @jb.suarez
- “Hanggang Ngayon” Transition Trend by @johnmarkgonn
- Best Song for Night Run Challenge by @jomaryee
The category reflects how one short video can reach people far beyond a creator’s usual audience.
Songs, jokes, challenges, edits, and short stories can quickly spread as other TikTok users make their own versions.
Popular Video of the Year gives those individual posts their own award outside the main creator categories.
Creator of the Year Brings Together Three Filipino Names
The main Philippine Creator of the Year category includes @aynbernos, @davaoconyo, and @urfujicko.
Each has built an audience through a different type of content.
The winner of the Philippine vote will move forward to compete against the Creator of the Year representatives from the five other Southeast Asian markets.
The same process applies to all 11 categories.
How to Vote for the TikTok Awards Southeast Asia 2026
Voting is already open.
Here are the main dates to remember:
- Philippine voting: October 12–26, 2026
- Philippine representatives announced: November 5, 2026
- Regional awards: November 27, 2026
- Regional venue: Bali, Indonesia
- Participating markets: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
- Philippine nominees: 33
- Categories: 11
To vote, open TikTok and search #TikTokAwardsSEA.
With Filipino creators represented in food, fashion, entertainment, education, sports, shopping, livestreaming, and lifestyle content, the October voting round will decide who gets to carry the Philippines into TikTok’s first Southeast Asian creator awards.
If you have a favorite nominee, voting remains open until October 26.
