Our Story

One Down was born out of a desire to overcome the challenges we faced when first entering the Media & Entertainment industry. With no connections, no experience, and no clear path to success, we realized the need to pave the way for the next generation of Filipinos. Our larger vision was, and continues to be, bringing Filipino culture to the world.

Since 2018, One Down has been dedicated to creating compelling content that resonates with Filipino Americans, providing a platform where their stories and experiences are front and center. What started as a small Facebook page has blossomed into a multifaceted organization encompassing Media Channels, an Advertisement Agency, a Creator Network, a Non-Profit Arm, and a growing Community of Filipinos seeking to connect back to their roots.

Throughout our journey, we’ve remained proudly independent and bootstrapped our way to ensure that we have the freedom to voice our truths. We are committed to making sure that when Filipinos speak, the world listens.

 Our Mission

At One Down, our mission is to elevate Filipino culture into the mainstream. We are dedicated to connecting the Filipino diaspora with their heritage, fostering a global community through authentic storytelling and innovative content. By cultivating a dynamic media ecosystem that continuously reinvests in itself, we aim to empower Filipino creatives, support Filipino-owned businesses, and enrich the lives of everyday Filipinos worldwide through our creativity.

A Timeline of One Down

August 2018: Leo Albea and Kristine de los Santos have dinner at a KBBQ spot in LA’s Koreatown. They discuss their vision of creating a digital and physical community for Filipinos. The idea that would become One Down is born.

September 2018: Leo recruits Grazian Moreno, a fellow teammate from his dance team, and Victoria Cambe, his childhood friend, to join this emerging company. Together with Kristine, they meet weekly in Leo’s Koreatown apartment to brainstorm the business’s direction, eventually settling on the name “One Down”—the English translation of “Isang Bagsak.”

October 2018: Inspired by a tweet from Ava Duvernay, Leo creates the Facebook page for One Down and edits a video covering Matthew Libatique, a Filipino cinematographer behind the top two films in the box office that weekend. The video quickly garners over 30,000 views, signaling a strong audience interest.

November 2018: One Down releases its first original video, an interview with Echo Park-based rapper, Klassy. This marks the first production with a small crew, transitioning from edited clips to original content.

May 2019: Leo re-edits a video from his senior year that blends cultural dance with Hip Hop. This video becomes One Down’s first to surpass 1 million views on Facebook and Instagram.

February 2020: One Down officially registers as an LLC.

March 2020: One Down launches its first merchandise line and campaign, “Re-Defining Filipino,” alongside a video that hits 500k views organically on Facebook. The iconic ‘Filipinotown’ One Down shirt becomes a symbol of both the physical and digital spaces being created for Filipinos.

October 2020: The digital series “Breaking The Tabo: Season 1” launches, reaching 20 million views organically. The series, sponsored by Kumu, underscores One Down’s commitment to crafting resonant Filipino content.

June 2021: Launch of “The Chismis,” a digital series hosted by Trace Gaynor, spins off from “Breaking The Tabo” to tackle controversial topics in Filipino entertainment. The pilot episode, “Are Filipinos Marketable in Music?” quickly amasses 2 million organic views on Facebook.

May 2022: During a spontaneous session in the One Down studio, Berna Anat reads controversial takes from a Tabo, giving rise to the “Tabo Takes” series. This series goes viral, featuring celebrities like Liza Soberano and Nadine Lustre, and accumulates 4 million views on its first video.

January 2023: One Down expands its reach by launching new verticals: SoBakla, 7K+, and Ulam Co, to represent the diverse facets of the Filipino community more fully.

February 2024: In collaboration with Kumu and ABS-CBN, One Down leads the post-production and marketing for the launch of “Diamond Hunt.”

April 2024: “Medienda,” a networking mixer, brings together various Filipino groups in Hollywood. At this event, One Down announces Two Up, a 501(c)3 initiative aimed at empowering Filipino youth in creative careers.

July 2024: One Down introduces a new series, “Trauma Bond,” focusing on mental health. This series, partnering with mental health organizations and therapists, tackles the discussion of generational trauma within the Filipino community.

Our Values

Human-Built and Tech-Enabled: We combine human-driven creativity with AI, ensuring our storytelling stays personal while leveraging technology for greater reach and impact.

Culturally-Made and Globally-Relevant: We showcase Filipino culture authentically, connecting with global audiences through our unique cultural identity.

Community-Based and Scalable: We empower our community while operating with sustainability, balancing engagement with business success for long-term value.

About Our Founder

Leo Albea, the founder of One Down, embarked on his media and entertainment journey immediately after graduating from UCLA in 2018. With no clear path into the industry, Leo dove headfirst into the deep end by directing, producing, and choreographing a music video for international Philippine artist Karencitta’s song “No Apology.” Despite relying solely on his research from Google and YouTube, the video’s success, amassing 6 million views, solidified his belief in a media career.

Following this, Leo joined First Media as a Production Apprentice, working on their channel Blossom, renowned at the time as the “most viral page on Facebook.” Here, he quickly demonstrated his knack for viral content, producing a series of videos that not only went viral but set records—his video on “Natural Remedies” reached over 100 million views. Over two years, he refined his skills, eventually creating the most watched Facebook video of 2020 in the Home & DIY Category, which garnered over 860 million views. Meanwhile, Leo nurtured One Down, balancing his burgeoning project with his role at Blossom.

In 2021, Leo’s journey took him to Kumu as the Director of Content for North America, acknowledging his impactful contributions to Filipino storytelling. He also served as Consulting Creative Director for Summit Media, the largest digital lifestyle network in the Philippines, revitalizing their key channels—Preview, Pep, and Yummy—to new heights of viewer engagement.

By May 2023, Leo had ascended to VP of Marketing at Kumu in the Philippines, pioneering intellectual property initiatives like the Diamond Gala and Diamond Hunt, and significantly broadening Kumu’s influence beyond its live-streaming roots. During this period, Leo also executive produced his first feature film, “The Master Chief,” and his first TV show, “Diamond Hunt,” which debuted on ABS-CBN in February 2024.

In May 2024, Leo decided to dedicate his full attention to One Down, stepping down from his role at Kumu to fulfill his dream of bringing Filipino culture to the global stage. His leadership at One Down is driven by a passion to elevate Filipino stories and connect the global Filipino community, making their voices resonate around the world.

A Special Thank You

Upon its founding, the original Mission, Vision, and Core Values of this company were built upon the combined ideologies, perspectives, and experiences of thousands of individuals working toward community empowerment and collaboration for the purpose of securing a compassionate future for generations born in the diaspora. A special thank you is extended to Samahang Pilipino at UCLA, Undergraduate Students Association Council at UCLA, SoCal Pilipinx American Student Alliance (SCPASA), Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), The City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works, National Federation of Filipino American Associations's Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration (NaFFAA's EPYC), the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, and the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles.