Witty with a playful demeanour, John Chris Panganiban’s presence often lights up the room with his funny anecdotes and humorous remarks. But beyond the entertaining jokes, the multi-talented personality strives hard in his pursuit.
A dancer, a singer, a host, a talent manager — these are just a few roles to describe the man of Chinese-Filipino descent. Despite achieving success in these fields, John conceded that he had never imagined this would be his path. The 33-year-old has always been passionate about becoming an English teacher instead.
Born on Christmas morning in 1991 in Tanauan, Batangas, Philippines, John’s name was derived from the initials Jesus Christ — J.C. — John Chris, and was given by his maternal grandfather. Although his father is Chinese, he grew up without an official Chinese name; nonetheless, his paternal grandfather had given him the name Ho Fung Yong.
Growing up in the Bintawa Fishing Village, John, the eldest of two siblings, is fluent in the Heng Hua dialect as his grandparents could only converse in that language. In addition to the dialect, he is also proficient in Mandarin, Bahasa Melayu-Sarawak, and Tagalog, as well as the English language.
Attending a Chinese school during his primary years, he then transferred to St. Thomas secondary school at the age of 13. According to him, he struggled with Chinese language, prompting his father to enroll him in a national school curriculum for a better future.
There, he experienced a cultural awakening, befriending students from diverse backgrounds and immersing himself in the beauty of Sarawak. This multicultural environment facilitated his rapid learning of Bahasa Melayu-Sarawak.
Conversing with peers of different races became essential for a boy raised in a Chinese household. Seeking to adapt to the majority Dayak and Malay students, John sought help from friends, even if sometimes the lessons were deliberately incorrect.
Despite being a chubby boy, John embraced basketball and even discovered a passion for breakdancing during a rain-interrupted tournament. Inspired by the dancers’ energy, he set out to learn the art himself.
Like many Filipinos, John’s entertaining skills flourished at numerous gatherings, where singing, dancing, and enjoying food were customary.
He would dance at these house gatherings at the bidding of his mother. His favourite dancer to impersonate back then was Michael Jackson. A popular persona, alongside Backstreet Boys, N’sync, and Britney Spears, John remembered waiting for their videos to be aired on television — it could be for hours, and when it did, he would immediately stand up and do the moves.
At 14 (year 2006), John joined a dance group with a group of friends. Though disbanded long ago, he continued to dance till this day — performing and teaching the young.
His teenage life continued the same until he reached 17 years old when he started working at his father’s entertainment outlet as a part-time bartender and DJ. Working there, he found his passion in singing as he realised that he could release a rhythm of melodies.
Sharing further, John disclosed that he would sing before the shop opened and after it closed. At that time, he realised that he could sing, but he was not sure if he was tone-deaf or not. Thus, he began to sing publicly and received compliments for it.
The following year, he attended his Form Six education and began actively performing. Among his many performances, he remembered participating in a Battle of the Bands organised by Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan. He won and was part of the stint called ‘The Snowdans’ band for a while.
Meanwhile, his first competition was the Borneo Voice Out Talent in 2012, where he and other participants from around Borneo competed. The competition saw him emerge victorious — thus, marking the beginning of his singing career, performing at various bars and gigs. Throughout this time, he was also actively involved in dancing and participating in dance competitions.
Upon graduating from Form Six, John expressed his desire to further his studies to become an educator. However, his decision was met with a surprise when his teacher saw him as a better fit for the entertainment industry. This unexpected response shocked him, especially coming from one of his inspiring teachers.
During his school years, he was known as ‘J.C. the dancer’ and ‘J.C. the singer’. Many classmates commented on his ability to fill the classroom with laughter, earning him the titles of class clown and joker.
He applied to study performing arts abroad after Form Six. However, financial constraints prevented him from pursuing this path. Even so, he managed to continue his studies at the University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UNITAR), Kuala Lumpur, where he pursued Business and Management.
Prior to this, he received guidance from an old friend, the late Patrick Foo, who imparted invaluable knowledge about the entertainment industry, particularly in hosting events. As an emcee and event planner, Foo shared insights on logistics, equipment usage, PA systems, stage arrangements, and more with John.
After graduating, John worked in several banks and in the tourism sector. In 2018, he ventured into people management, with his first talent being a beauty pageant queen named Viviana Lin Winston. It was from this experience that he learned how to manage personalities.
Later on, he became involved in the radio broadcasting industry, working with Hitz FM and TVS. In his role at TVS, he initially served as a news anchor in 2020, but his potential was quickly recognised by the station.
He was then offered the opportunity to host his own programme called ‘The Jayc Show,’ where he invited numerous personalities for on-air interviews. As a TV personality, he also produced countless shows for the station. John described this experience as a valuable learning opportunity that he was excited about.
Simultaneously, he also contributed to the dance community by supporting local young talents through the ‘Kuching Youth Jam’ platform while continuing to pursue his passion for singing. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, John performed in many hotels, catching the attention of Prashan Chitty, founder of XENO talent management company, who offered him a recording artist opportunity one night.
But the pandemic proved harsh on everyone, thus it became a lost chance for the Chinese-Filipino. Nevertheless, his contact with Prashan landed him the position of General Manager of XIBO (XENO in Borneo) Entertainment, a subsidiary version of XENO, based in Sarawak. Established last year in April, John now manages 14 personalities under his management to date.
His job? To oversee the careers of key opinion leaders (KOL), influencers, and personalities from Sarawak by providing guidance, securing opportunities, and offering general support, among other responsibilities. Under XIBO, John has also become the bridge between brands and local personalities.
Recognising the gap between big brands in West Malaysia and content creators in East Malaysia, he aims to assist his talents by ensuring they receive better opportunities and rates. He believes that Sarawak boasts a diverse array of personalities from various cultures in terms of language, food, fashion, and music — qualities that set the state apart from others, appealing to a unique characteristic.
As a talent manager, John understands that many of these personalities rely solely on their art. With hopes to introduce Sarawak to the world, John shared that many of these influencers work for free or without proper pay, yet they still have bills to pay and family members to support.
Some talents, such as the sape maker or traditional costume designer, have only their skills to rely on amidst the modern world. Thus, he hopes to create a better career path for them to strive for success in their respective industries.
With three decades on earth, and many more to go, John’s time is filled with his passion for helping the community through dancing, singing, or talent management. When asked what motivates him to go further despite his full schedule, he said that supporting his mother and younger siblings in the Philippines is a responsibility he must fulfill. But what keeps him going is his kind-heartedness and generosity in helping as many as he can within his capabilities.
When he isn’t performing or teaching, he is on stage, hosting and sharing words of laughter with many. One thing is for sure, John is a multi-talented man who can bring sunshine wherever he goes.
