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| (Image Source: manila concert scene/Mentorque Productions) |
Once hailed as the Philippines’ biggest and most iconic pride celebration and a high-caliber production, White Party Manila makes its most-anticipated comeback on June 27, 2026 at the World Trade Center Manila, led by the Philippines beloved LGBTQ+ icon and the unkabogable superstar Vice Ganda. This year’s White Party Manila is a collaboration project between LoveYourSelf and Mentorque Productions with a portion of the event proceeds will support HIV Awareness programs, testing, and care because Pride is not only celebrated, it is protected.
Long known as the ultimate symbol of freedom, unity, and love, White Party Manila: REIGNITE brings in a powerful new era for the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies. It’s a night where everyone is welcome and all are equal in white. This 2026 edition set to be bigger, bolder and brighter than ever as Mentorque brings together exciting performances from LGBTQ icons and allies, surprise celebrity appearances, and phenomenal DJs uniting as one this Pride month. The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2025 Best Actor shared, “I’m so excited for the party. White Party was really the party 10 years ago. It was the most unkabogable celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community at that time. Celebrating with everyone in white, seeing that sea of beautiful individuals, solid and united for a specific goal, is such a powerful experience. Converging together, meeting new friends, seeing everyone I haven’t seen in the longest time — ‘yun talaga yung inaabangan ko.” For the Mentorque team, “Vice Ganda is the perfect person to represent everything White Party Manila stands for: authenticity, courage, and joy. Having Vice as the face of this year’s comeback feels more meaningful, especially as we reignite the spirit of Pride through celebration, community, and purpose while delivering a Pride night to remember.”
Alongside Vice Ganda, iconic LGBTQIA+ personalities such as John Sweet Lapus, KaladKaren, Ice Seguerra, Liza Dino, Joey Mead-King, Angie King, Andoy Ranay, Alex Diaz, Klea Pineda, and Mimiyuuuh will join the festivities. Also taking part in the celebration are allies including Janella Salvador and Chie Filomeno as well as LoveYourSelf ambassadors and volunteers such as Joy Barcoma and Hannah Arnold. Some of the exciting acts lined up for the event include Ben&Ben, Maki, Marina Summers, and Gloc-9 while streetwear designer Bang Pineda is set to unveil the White Party Manila Collection. Tickets to White Party Manila: REIGNITE are available exclusively through its official ticketing partner Ticket2Me.net. Visit and follow White Party Manila's official social media accounts for updates.
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Celebrities Go Unfiltered On Pop Culture Issues In ABS-CBN’s New Online Podcast “Hot Takes”
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| (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
ABS-CBN offers more fun and candid conversations with the launch of its newest weekly online podcast “Hot Takes” featuring celebrities’ most unfiltered standpoints on pop culture, Filipino life, and relevant issues. Streaming on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube and Facebook page, the digital show is hosted by two smart and fearless women, PUSH editor-in-chief Gary Ann Lastrilla and digital head of social media for publishing Krish Ramos, who dig deeper at celebrities’ takes on industry norms with real-life experiences.
The podcast is already generating buzz online where the episodes featuring JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith and Kai Montinola have both generated over one million views. Former “Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11” housemates JMFyang shared their takes on reality shows while singer-actress Kai shared her two cents on the love team culture in the Philippines. On the other hand, “The Alibi” star Sofia Andres shared her candid take on attempts to pit women against each other while Kapamilya star Charlie Dizon weighed in on the double standards faced by female celebrities in the showbiz industry. Meanwhile, content creator Daniel Laudit, known as Mentor Daniel, expressed his sentiments on influencers voicing their opinions on issues.
More juicy and uncensored conversations are set to come with a guest lineup that includes Jake Cuenca, certified matchmaker Coach Vee, influencer JinHo Bae, and many more. Catch new weekly episodes of “Hot Takes” every Thursday at 9:00 am on the ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel, the most subscribed media and entertainment channel in Southeast Asia, and on ABS-CBN’s Facebook page. “Hot Takes” can also be viewed every Sunday night on Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel.
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Westlife Release Landmark 25th Anniversary Album 25 – The Ultimate Collection
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| (Image Source: INQUIRER.net/Sony Music Entertainment) |
Globally renowned pop group Westlife recently released their monumental era-defining album 25 – The Ultimate Collection, a celebration of their record-breaking 25-year journey at the very top of global pop. The album is available across multiple formats including 1CD, 2CD deluxe, 1LP, Amazon Exclusive 1LP picture disc and cassette.
The release follows “Chariot”, written by Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid and Will Reynolds and co-written and produced by Steve Mac, which was instantly added to the BBC Radio 2 New Music Playlist (A List). The track features on the new album alongside recent release “Your Love Amazes Me” with the collection bringing together 21 of the band’s most beloved songs including “You Raise Me Up”, “Uptown Girl”, and “Flying Without Wings” alongside brand-new material recorded by all four members: Shane, Nicky, Kian and Mark. To mark the release, the group have also announced the global expansion of their highly anticipated Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour with dates throughout 2027 across Asia, Mexico, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand including Manila which is slated to be held on January 20, 2027 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The tour promises a euphoric, hit-filled set spanning their extraordinary career, featuring timeless ballads and global chart-toppers, kicking off with a 13-date residency in Dublin on September 2026 before heading across the UK and Europe, marking their first headline continental run in two decades.
Westlife said, “What better way to mark 25 years of Westlife than with an album that brings together our biggest hits alongside new music we’re so proud of. We’re beyond excited to head out on a global tour and celebrate these songs with the fans who’ve made it all possible.” More information on Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour are available at westlife.com/live/.
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iWant Lights Up ABS-CBN's ELJ Building, San Francisco City Hall, And Port Of San Diego In Tribute To Nurses Worldwide
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| (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
iWant, the home of Filipino feels, paid tribute to the sacrifices of Filipino nurses by simultaneously lighting up the iconic ELJ Building at the ABS-CBN Compound, and both the San Francisco City Hall and Port of San Diego in California, USA in celebration of International Nurses Day last May 12 (Tuesday, PH time) — also, as anticipation for the newest title “Nurse The Dead”, its first Filipino studio-produced supernatural comedy series filmed in Hollywood.
The special display at ELJ Building lit up the word “NURSE” as appreciation for the dedication of Filipino nursing professionals across the globe while showcasing its newest international series that champions Filipino talents on a global scale. The event was attended locally by show creator Mark Labella and Kapamilya star Anthony Jennings, who also stars in the series. Mark shared that the series was inspired by her mother’s real-life experiences and honors the sacrifices of Filipino nurses working abroad, stating, “We created ‘Nurse The Dead’ as a workplace comedy grounded in the emotional reality of caregiving. Nurses carry enormous emotional weight every day, often while still finding ways to bring humor, compassion, and humanity into impossible situations. Seeing these landmarks illuminated in their honor is incredibly meaningful to all of us.” Anthony then expressed his elation to be part of the internationally produced iWant title. In an interview, he shared, “I’m really blessed, grateful, and honored to be working with such wonderful people behind ‘Nurse The Dead’. With this wonderful show, sobrang na-appreciate ko sila kasi noong first day ko, medyo kabado ako. Pero they had my back. Naitaguyod ko iyon… It was such a wonderful experience for me kasi marami akong natutunan and nag-grow ako rito sa show.” He then added that the show reflects the essence of the sacrifice of every Filipino working overseas and proudly showcases the Filipino spirit while being made in the USA.
The series is centered on Noa Reyes, a dedicated Filipina nurse navigating the demands of her job while hiding an extraordinary ability: she can see and communicate with the dead. Fil-Am actress Jelynn Sophia Malone portrays the lead role, starring alongside Filipino actors Anthony Jennings, Princess Punzalan, Ruby Rodriguez, Gigette Reyes, and Tootsie Guevara. “Nurse The Dead” is coming on June 12 on iWant, with its pilot episode available for free. The remaining episodes can be streamed through subscription plans starting at Php35/month in the Philippines, US$12.99/month in the U.S., and US$4.99/month for the rest of the world.
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Filipino Content Creator-Turned-Artist Jemay Santiago Opens Up In Vulnerable R&B Single ‘1A’
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| Jemay Santiago (Image Source: Starmometer/Sony Music Entertainment Philippines) |
Rising R&B artist and prominent content creator Jemay Santiago marks a triumphant return to music-making with the release of her new single, “1A”, off her highly anticipated EP Depresyon. The chill, laid-back track pivots from Santiago’s curated world of virality and public success to reveal a more intimate side of her. On “1A”, the R&B newcomer confronts failure and self-doubt with striking honesty, challenging the glamorized narratives often associated with mainstream music culture. Integrating hazy textures with nocturnal beats and vulnerable storytelling, “1A” delivers an unfiltered glimpse into the silent battles many people face behind closed doors.
The multi-hyphenate star shares, “The song really came from a genuine and vulnerable place in my life. A lot of people know me through social media and content creation, so most of the time they only see the highlights: the success, the numbers, the entertaining side of me. But behind all of that, I’m still a normal person dealing with real emotions, real pressure, and real struggles that people don’t always get to see.” Santiago recalls how hesitant she was in releasing a song so personal and dear to her, questioning if the people around her would understand or if the timing were right, stating, “I realized there are probably so many people silently carrying the same emotions every day: feelings of failure, pressure, self-doubt, or feeling lost despite trying their best. So instead of waiting for the perfect moment, I decided to be honest and just release it. I wanted people to hear a side of me that’s more human and more real beyond the public image they usually see online.” Originally titled MARY1A, the song later evolved into “1A”, a metaphorical concept representing self-priority and personal healing. According to Jemay, “1” signifies being first while the letter A represents beginning, together embodying the message that mental health, self-care, and inner peace should be a priority before external pressures or public validation.
Santiago reveals, “Just to clarify, the title evolved from ‘MARY1A’ to ‘1A’ as a creative and practical decision during the release process. At the same time, the adjustment was also about being mindful of how the track would be presented publicly, ensuring it could be received in the right context without unnecessary distractions from its core meaning.” Far from being a product of trends, “1A” openly addresses the emotional realities hidden behind the smiles, confidence, and success often projected online. The track was pre-produced by Jemay Santiago, with beat production by Mark Arganda (Køii) and vocals mixed and mastered by Icy D. of Got Name? Collective.
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Inigo Pascual Releases Comeback Single, “Ikaw At Ikaw”, With Star Music
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| (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
Singer-actor Inigo Pascual returns to recording with his new single “Ikaw At Ikaw”, his comeback project with ABS-CBN’s premier record label Star Music. Inigo shared, “It feels like I’m coming back to my home. I can easily say that Star Music, they were the people that really saw the potential in me from the very beginning and they allowed me to create music, to even discover that I can be a composer. Sa kanila talaga nanggaling ang confidence ko when it comes to music.”
He composed “Ikaw At Ikaw” which is about finding oneself coming home to a loved one who has never lost their affection. The song was also inspired by his homecoming to the Philippines after moving back and forth between the country and the United States for his international career. It was arranged and produced by Gabriel Tagadtad. He said, “I wanted to go back to my roots, I wanted to go back to how I started as a musician.” ABS-CBN Music Head of Creatives, Content, and Operations Jonathan Manalo shared their excitement about Inigo’s homecoming, stating, “Inigo will always be family. Hindi naman talaga siya rin umalis sa amin. His songs, his music stayed with us. S’yemre pag narinig n’yo ang ‘Dahil Sa 'yo’, it will always be the signature of Inigo released under Star Music, and right now it’s like a full circle moment, and alam ko he will keep releasing songs under his home label.”
“Ikaw At Ikaw” is included in Inigo’s forthcoming album which is expected to drop later this year and will feature several tracks penned by the singer-songwriter himself. Fans can also look forward to the release of the song’s music video, filmed in Batangas, happening soon. Inigo has also popularized the songs “Balang Araw”, “Catching Feelings”, “Mr. Nice Guy”, and more and sang the official Philippine version of Coco’s soundtrack “Remember Me”. He has previously released an international album “Options” under Tarsier Records before starring in the Hollywood series “Monarch”.
