All posts filed under: Entertainment

Entertainment

Miss Universe 2025 — when beauty, scandal, and mistrust collide

Published by Ely Valendez

The coronation of Fátima Bosch of Mexico as Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok was supposed to be a night of celebration. Instead, it became the centre of a firestorm — judge resignations, allegations of manipulation, online wars between fandoms, and criminal investigations swirling around the organisation’s top leadership. By the next morning, the question wasn’t “Who won?” — it was “Can Miss Universe still be trusted?” The allegations: rigged, manipulated, and mishandled Fans worldwide have been unusually unified in one sentiment: “Something didn’t feel right.” Among the biggest reasons: • Judges resigning before the finale, with at least one cryptically hinting at process issues. • On-stage and backstage altercations circulating on social media. • Delegation walkouts and complaints about inconsistent treatment. • Leadership miscommunication, livestream rants, and contradictory official statements. These were not small hiccups — they were structural cracks. And they pointed to one name repeatedly: Raul Rocha. Raul Rocha: the controversy magnet at the centre of it all Even before the coronation, Raul Rocha, co-owner and president of the Miss Universe Organization, was …

Jeproks: The Musical — Pinoy Rock, Privilege, and the Stories We Repeat

Published by Ely Valendez

There are nights at the theater that feel like Manila is whispering an old story back to you — a story about youth, rebellion, privilege, growing pains, and the kind of music that refuses to die. Watching Jeproks: The Musical at GSIS Theater on November 23 felt exactly like that. It wasn’t just a show. It was a reclamation of memory. And backstage, as I met with the cast — seasoned OPM names returning to their musical roots — it became clear that Jeproks is more than a jukebox musical. It is a mirror held up to the Philippines, past and present, lit by the anthems of Pinoy rock legend Mike Hanopol. What “Jeproks” Really Means: A Word We Thought We Understood Most Filipinos know jeproks as a fun old slang word — retro, quirky, a callback to the hippie aesthetic of the 70s. But the word has teeth. Jeproks comes from “projects” — specifically the QC Projects, which in the 1970s were home to upper-middle-class and well-off Filipino youth. The aesthetic was long-haired, kalas, …

Uncomfortably Brilliant: Why ‘Anino sa Likod ng Buwan’ Still Matters

Published by Ely Valendez

ON A QUIET Saturday night — I found myself entering a different kind of space. The air felt still, the audience hushed, and as the lights dimmed, it was as if the outside world dissolved. I was about to experience Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan, the award-winning one-act play written by Jun Robles Lana, first recognized in the 1993 Bulwagang Gantimpala Playwriting Competition. ANINO is an adaptation of the Cinemalaya film of the same title. I’m more than glad to have been able to catch tonight’s show, it’s closing show. This staging, directed with restraint and surgical emotional precision by Tuxqs Rutaquio, featured a cast configuration I now consider unforgettable: Edward Benosa as Joel, Ross Pesigan as Nardo, and Elora Españo as Emma. I didn’t just enjoy this trio — I adored them. Their rhythm, tension, and emotional shifts felt instinctive and lived-in. Nothing felt performed. Everything felt dangerously real. This isn’t the kind of cast you watch — it’s the kind that pulls you into their unraveling. The story takes place in a tight, …

ATENG: A Revival That Hits Hard

Published by Ely Valendez

Some plays entertain. Some plays provoke. And then there are productions like ATENG — the kind that manage to do both with disarming precision. On November 13, I attended the press preview of the show a day before its official run. You would agree with me that even from the snippets I’m sharing with you alone (see my YouTube vlog below), it was clear: panalo na. The room was alive — laughter bouncing off the walls one minute, and an almost reverent stillness the next. ATENG doesn’t simply tell a story; it pulls its audience into a memory — personal or collective — whether we are prepared for it or not. The production marks the revival of the 2005 Palanca-award winning one-act play by Vincent de Jesus. Known for narratives that fuse wit and wounded truth, de Jesus once again offers a script that feels universal yet deeply intimate. This staging runs from November 14 to December 7 at RAMPA Drag Club, transforming a nightlife venue into a raw, compact storytelling arena. In a way, …

Philippine–Italian Chamber Music Concert Takes Center Stage on Oct. 16

Published by Ely Valendez

Two cultures, one stage, and a shared devotion to the beauty of music—this is the spirit behind the Filipino-Italian Chamber Music Concert happening on October 16, 2025, at the Asia Pacific College Auditorium, 3 Humabon Place, Magallanes, Makati City. Presented by the Philippine Italian Association (PIA) in collaboration with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO), and made possible through the support of Joel’s Place and 98.7 DZFE-FM The Master’s Touch, the concert highlights the seamless harmony between Filipino emotion and Italian musical tradition. A Cross-Cultural Evening Led by Maestro Alessio Benvenuti At the forefront of the performance is Maestro Alessio Benvenuti, the MSO’s concertmaster and a Makati-based violinist whose career has spanned continents. Since 1996, he has performed in over 2,000 concerts across the United States, South America, Central America, Asia, Tunisia, and Europe—each stage sharpening the unmistakable artistry he brings back to the Philippines. He is joined by an ensemble of exceptional musicians: Alfonso Encina (Violin II), Sara Gonzales (Viola), Arnold Josue (Cello), Lawrence Palad (Bass), and Mariel Ilusorio (Piano). Together, they will weave a …