Filipino music continues to evolve, and so do the sounds toward which young people gravitate. Spotify Wrapped 2025 reflected the continued strength of Filipino music. Cup of Joe emerged as the most-streamed local artist, and “Multo” became the most-streamed song in the Philippines. Other songs in the local Top 10 included tracks by Earl Agustin,...
Category: Entertainment
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The Ayta Ambala and their slipping language
SUBIC FREEPORT—“Who are the people closest to nature?” This was the prompt given to the creators of “Ha’antu Ka Maku? (Where are you going?)” when tasked with creating a short documentary. For Emiliana Quinto, one of the film’s producers, only one thought came to mind: the Indigenous community of the Aeta (Aytá/Agtá) people. The Filipino...
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When a wooden puppet dreams: ‘Pinocchio’ at Ayala Malls Feliz on Oct. 9–11
“Buongiorno!” This cheerful greeting sets the tone for a theatrical journey as Ephesus Teatron Group Inc. presents Carlo Collodi’s “Pinocchio,” a musical adaptation of one of the world’s most beloved stories. Set on Oct. 9, 10, and 11 at the Activity Center of Ayala Malls Feliz in Pasig City, the production promises an enchanting blend...
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What was ‘Edjop’ running for?
There is a cruel irony at the center of Katski Flores’ “Edjop.” Joyette Jopson, portrayed by Jodi Sta. Maria, spends much of the film trying to understand a father she barely knew, a man who had become, in her own formulation, more concept than parent. The film sets out to reverse that distance: to pull...
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Prophetic musical ‘Ambon, Ulan, Baha’ comes full circle at the Met
The acclaimed ethno-pop-rock modern zarzuela “Ambon, Ulan, Baha,” written by the multiawarded playwright Frank G. Rivera, marks a full-circle homecoming at the Metropolitan Theater on Sept. 26 and 27. Presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Metropolitan Theater (Met), and produced by Pixel Art Media Production Co., the Filipino...
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‘Poon’: Jaclyn Jose and Ronaldo Valdez deliver a hauntingly vivid final farewell
Adolfo Alix Jr.’s horror-drama “Poon” (The Hallowed) arrives in cinemas this week (opened on Sept. 9, Wednesday) with all the makings of a major cinematic event, seamlessly blending whodunit intrigue with gritty atmospheric horror. On the surface, what’s driving its commercial potential is a multigenerational powerhouse ensemble. The film cleverly links respected icons like Gina Pareño and...
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Vilma Santos starrer gets a new lease on life as FDCP celebrates 50th year of PH cinema’s second Golden Age
What a difference a year makes. When we spoke with writer-director Jose Javier Reyes in an exclusive interview for CoverStory last year, the chair of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) used Ishmael Bernal’s screen drama “Relasyon” and Joey Gosiengfiao’s cult classic “Temptation Island” as tragic examples of cinematic loss to emphasize the urgent need for massive,...
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‘Silkscreen’ bags Best Short Film award at Cinemalaya 2026
A testament to the dignity of manual craft and the delicate threads of familial legacy in an era dominated by rapid digital automation earned the coveted Best Short Film award at the 22nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. A Dipolog/Dumaguete short film, “Silkscreen” is Rey Anthony Villaverde’s second appearance on the festival’s stage, after his...
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Great-grandfather’s past hounds K-drama actress
“Our Sticky Love” is the latest Korean drama released by Netflix, starring the widely popular Jung Hae-in (“Love Next Door” and “Something in the Rain”) and rising actress Ha-young in her first leading role. The series tells the story of a prosecutor (Ha-young) who suffers from amnesia and goes into hiding with a boxer-turned-gangster (Hae-in)....
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Cinemalaya 22: Comedic Ruby Ruiz, dramatic Pokwang face off in genre-bending performances
While last year’s Cinemalaya celebrated filmmakers navigating a changing industry, the 22nd edition of the festival this month has turned its lens inward. Under the theme “Reel Reflections,” the country’s preeminent indie showcase honors cinema as a powerful mirror of the Filipino experience. This focus blazes through the themes of the festival’s nine competing feature-film entries—from the harsh...