Meet Gab Manalo, the first deaf streamer in the Philippines

Gabriel Manalo is deaf. He will also school you on Valorant.
Apr 25, 2023
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Gab Manalo, deaf gamer and streamer
PHOTO: Gabriel Manalo

Gabriel “Gab” Manalo is the only deaf streamer and gamer in the Philippines. This story was made possible with the help of artist Zuh Dai, who served as the translator for Gab and SPIN's Abo Limos.


Over five percent of the world’s population is deaf. That’s around 466 million people. Gabriel Manalo, aka Gab, is the first deaf streamer and gamer in the Philippines. Gab hails from Isabela, where he grew up but is now based in Manila. Gab Manalo has been creating content since 2018.

He streams every night on TikTok and plays first-person shooter games. Every time he streams on social media, there are a lot of people who bash him and say he’s not really deaf. That’s one of the things that hurts him the most.

@_gabmanalo

Be kind..

♬ original sound - Gabriel Manalo

In his previous vlog, Gab answered one of the most common questions people ask him about being deaf: Can he hear himself think? What happens when he does?

“I tell you! I also think in sign language!” says Gab. “We, deaf, are people who don’t have the sense of hearing. We are unable to hear anything. This affects how we communicate, and in effect, we have a hard time speaking and talking,” explained Gab.

In the following interview, SPIN.ph talks to Gab Manalo with the help of artist Zuh Dai, who is Gab’s trusted translator.

SPIN: Tell us how you started streaming.

GAB: Someone told me that I have the potential to be a streamer and I wanted to try it for myself. I want to be a popular streamer. I want people to see that although I am a deaf gamer, I want them to see how I play and how we are not different from other players, and that includes people in the deaf community who are just as capable as I am. I want people to know how talented and capable we are despite our being deaf.

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@_gabmanalo Deaf Valorant Player #valorant ♬ original sound - Gabriel Manalo

SPIN: What other things do you do to raise awareness on the deaf community?

GAB: I have a business. I have Sign Kitchen and I bake and sell my goods. Our products have labels, which are one way for me to connect with people in the deaf community. My family runs Sign Kitchen where my mother is the manager. I teach sign language to the staff so they can communicate with people in the deaf community.

SPIN: What makes you happy?

GAB: Gaming makes me happy. I also enjoy streaming. And if I’m not bored, I always try to paint.

Gabriel Manalo and his wall paintings

Gab Manalo, deaf streamer in the Philippines

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Gab Manalo, deaf streamer in the Philippines

SPIN: What makes you sad?

GAB: I get sad when no one cares to talk to me.

SPIN: What is something you wish hearing people would understand about deaf people?

GAB: I wish that they would just converse and try to show more appreciation for the deaf culture, especially since there are deaf people all over the world.

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SPIN: Do you ever feel scared of going out alone because no one will understand you?

GAB: No, I don’t feel scared of going out alone and no one will understand me. When I was in school, I was alone but my family taught me how to adapt to the environment.

SPIN: Tell us about what it is like living with hearing people.

GAB: Sometimes, I get lonely but I try to talk to hearing people. I try my best to communicate with them, but thankfully, I am surrounded by friends and family who care about me. The most difficult thing about being deaf is how people are having a hard time conversing with me but I still try my best to understand them.

Gab Manalo painted the walls of this room.

Gab Manalo, deaf streamer in the Philippines

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SPIN: If I don’t know sign language, what is the best way to communicate with deaf people?

GAB: Just converse. And if they ask how to do sign language, we would be happy to teach them. There are always ways to communicate. It does not have to be sign alone, there are always phones, and there is pen and paper. It’s easy to communicate. It’s easy to converse.

SPIN: What is something hearing people do that you appreciate most?

GAB: I appreciate it most when hearing people try to communicate and are curious about sign language. And that is enough. When hearing people try to learn the basics of sign language, that makes me happy.

SPIN: What is something that hearing people do that hurts you the most?

GAB: It hurts me when they mock me. That makes me sad. When I was six years old, some hearing people bullied me. Now, it’s still the same. They don’t understand the deaf culture, and that’s why they mock sign language. There are still people who cannot accept the deaf community or accept me as a deaf person. When I see them, I feel sad and I remember the memories from when I was young.

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SPIN: How does it feel to have your words translated for you by an interpreter?

GAB: It’s like having a voice even if I am deaf. I try to connect with people by talking, but I only do that with the people I trust the most.

I feel really great people will help me, especially the hearing people who really learned sign language so they can communicate with me and people in the deaf community.

As for my translator, I feel lucky to have my girlfriend who translates for me. You have to truly know who I am to be my voice. I feel free in life when people around me can sign. I don’t feel constricted.

Watch this YouTube video Gabriel Manalo made in 2018 to help hearing people understand be kinder and more accepting of the deaf community.

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Gab Manalo, deaf gamer and streamer
PHOTO: Gabriel Manalo
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