Social media has paved the way for the rise of influencers. Ordinary people who once had no platform can now share their stories. For some, especially those living outside the Metro, it provides an opportunity to share their knowledge and advocacies far beyond physical spaces. One of them is Ramon Christian Larga, popularly known as Arshie Larga. With more than 4 million followers on TikTok, Arshie is everyone’s friendly neighborhood pharmacist.

Through social media, the 28-year-old doctor of pharmacy from Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, shares his experiences as an island pharmacist. He explains information about medicine and the scope of a pharmacist's work in an easily understandable way. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he realized that he could use his knowledge and skills to educate people about the medications, especially over-the-counter medicines, they were obtaining.

“During that time, I just really wanted to spread awareness. I didn’t know that it would hit,” Arshie tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle in a Zoom call interview. “Maybe because of the way I present my content. It’s relatable and easy to understand, even if you don’t have a background in medicine or pharmacy.” 

Hoping to help more people, in 2022, Arshie started a fundraising advocacy to help people in need to buy their medicines. With a good heart, honesty, and transparency, the island influencer regularly shares details of how the funds are used.

With his public service advocacy, genuine character, and educational content, Arshie rose to stardom. In 2023, he won TikTok Philippines’ award for Best Educational Content Creator. In 2024, bringing honor to the country, Arshie made it to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” Class of 2024 for the Asia-Pacific Region in the Media, Marketing & Advertising category.

Forbes’ “30 Under 30” is an annual list by the international business magazine, featuring and honoring 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders, and other notable individuals in different regions.

“Another reason I pursue creating this type of content is that I want to show people that we, pharmacists, are not simply 'taga-tinda ng gamot',” he says. 

“The sad reality is, in the Philippines, pharmacists are just seen as drug dispensers. We are not seen as healthcare experts. I want to somehow contribute to changing how people see our profession.” 

When the Forbes list was recently announced, Arshie openly admitted that he still can’t believe he made it. He even shared that he thought it was a scam when he initially received the nomination email. After the interview, he didn’t hear anything from the panel until the list was officially published. With this feat, the content creator acknowledged that he wouldn’t be where he is today without the help of the people who believed in him and the followers who nominated him to be part of that list.

“Ano bang nagawa ko para mapasama sa list na ‘to?,” he says. “It’s a big achievement for me, I’m happy that at my young age, I get to inspire people, that nothing is impossible and even when you're young you can achieve a lot of things as long as you dream.” 

Despite achieving big things, Arshie, who fears and respects God, believes that accolades should make a person humbler and not the other way around. 

“Don’t pressure yourself to achieve recognition. If it’s for you, it will be given to you,” he says. “But at the end of the day, this kind of award is just an addition to your portfolio, don’t let it get into your head. It doesn’t mean that you’re a better person than anyone else. Importante na ‘di ka magbabago, stay humble. You need to look back where you came from and be thankful.” 

Today, in addition to sharing pharmacy-related content, Arshie has also begun sharing a part of himself through lifestyle content videos, depicting his daily life, travels, and even his fanboy moments with various artists and K-pop groups.

Apart from Arshie, six other young Filipinos also made it to the Forbes list for the Class of 2024, covering categories such as entertainment, technology, and the arts.