Limelight

Politics and show business are indeed no strange bedfellows. It has again surfaced when Jesus “Bong” Suntay, Quezon City Fourth District Representative said in his partisan privilege speech at the recent impeachment hearing of Vice President Sara Duterte that the charges of sedition, insurrection and political stabilization against her are just products of one’s imagination. Here, Suntay presented an analogy …

After a month-or-so-stay at the Gateway Hotel and Suites in Iloilo, one is tempted to say that its General Manager’s quest for quality in music as an artistic pursuit however on the pop culture level. After having jazz couple Jeannie Tiongco and Henry Katindig waxing out soothing and mesmerizing soulful tunes and Amazing Diva Armida Zuniega belting out goldies anthems …

Despite documentary films finally finding spaces, however gradually, in commercial circuit screenings in the Philippines and elsewhere, their filmmakers still find it hard to make the genre more popular and accessible to most viewers. “It will take a village…” said feisty and award-winning doc maker Baby Ruth Villarama as if saying it indeed costs a lot, money and otherwise the …

It must have been tiring and tedious for fashion designer Erick Valena to be shuttling from Lopez town in Quezon Province to Manila and back to attend to his dress shop in the countryside and stay half of the week in Muntinlupa and Makati where he maintains ateliers in both cities (although he just shares workshop with the iconic haute …

I came to the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, at the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or simply EDSA, purposely in the afternoon of February 25, 2026 after beating deadlines and finishing some domestic chores in our house in Villa Castillo, Pacita 2, San Pedro, Laguna. Apart from them, I was still nursing an already receding lump in …

by Boy Villasanta He was well-loved and respected by people from all walks of life not only as an actor but as a human person, first and foremost. Jose Ma. Moreno Rodriguez, also known as Pepito Rodriguez, died recently of undisclosed cause. His loyal household member, Jecca Jamandre Abad, said that Pepito had fought fiercely against his illness. “Lumaban pa …

by Boy Villasanta Despite Coco Martin’s alleged generosity and kindness, he is still accused of several misconduct, two of them threats and a capital investment challenge. The accuser is Rod Navarro. Jr.  the scion of the late character actor Rod Navarro. Rod, Jr. has accused Coco of threats in the workplace. ​”Ang sabi po niya sa akin, pag may narinig …

Apologies to National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, also known as Quijano de Manila who came out with a series of books on celebrity profiles and reportage, one of them “Amalia Fuentes and Other Etchings.” Sir Nick, may-I-borrow your phrase “other etchings.” ​In gay lingo, “etching” as a colloquial term means “a casual teasing” or “a bluff” or “someone is …

There are three beautiful and wonderful female jazz artists in our midst. They are all Filipinas. ​Even if jazz isn’t popular in the Philippines as its audience is select, the music still thrives in many homes and jazz bars, of course. Look at Jeannie Tiongco, the progeny of Emil Tiongco, the famous member of the Tiongco Brothers which made a …

Moviegoing has become more affordable this February as the Filipino film “Batang Paco” opened in cinemas nationwide with ticket prices lower than the usual rates across major theater chains. ​Ticket prices for “Batang Paco” vary by cinema and location. At SM Cinemas, tickets are priced at Php275 in Metro Manila, while provincial branches are offering tickets at Php230. At Ayala …