Philippine News

NEW YORK, September 22 ------ Taylor Swift will once again break records. At the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, she will receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors, becoming the most awarded artist in VMA history. Currently, Swift is tied with Beyoncé for the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history. They have 30 each. (Eminem is the male artist with the most VMAs, with 15.) The new award, which, according to the VMAs, is meant to recognize artists “whose work behind t

September 22 ------ This year marks the 30th anniversary of Megastar Sharon Cuneta and Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan as a married couple. The Megastar’s recent guesting on my 20-minute GMA showbiz-oriented program “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” for “The Talk” segment allowed viewers the opportunity to discover more about her not only as an actress but also in her real-life roles as a wife to Kiko and a mother to KC Concepcion, Frankie, Miel and Miguel Pangilinan. Sharon admit

September 22 ------ Michael V. is back with a creative and meaningful parody song. To the tune of Nobita’s hit song, “Ikaw Lang,” now titled “Eh Kulang” by NoKita, the King of Philippine Parody sang about high gas prices while people's wages keep getting lower. Indeed, diesel prices are expected to surge by P11 per liter and gas prices by as high as P5 per liter this week, as reported by oil industry sources. In the music video, Michael V. donned a barong and a traditiona

MANILA, Philippines, September 22 ------ Gabbi Garcia, who serves as “The Voice Kids” journey host, is privy to the aspirations and motivations of young singers in the reality talent competition, now airing on GMA. She is also the encouraging and supportive sister of the kiddie talents. “So, my role is a bit challenging here in ‘The Voice Kids,’” said the Sparkle GMA artist Gabbi in a recent presscon, “because I’m dealing with the kids on a personal level. So, before they g

September 21 ------ The Philippines further asserted its status as an international pageant powerhouse by posting victories in two competitions that took place in two different countries in one night. Sophia Bianca Santos was crowned Miss Elite 2026 in Somabay, Egypt, on Sept. 18 (19 in Manila), posting an unprecedented back-to-back for the Philippines. The Kapampangan contender emerged victorious from a field of 36 aspirants to succeed Filipino queen Juvyel Anne Saluta,

MANILA, Philippines, September 21 ------ After facing online bashing in the weeks leading up to her first lead role in a musical, Atasha Muhlach got to prove the naysayers wrong during the successful opening night of “Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical” at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) on Friday. In the elaborate production with multiple moving parts, yet tightly staged under the direction of Chris Millado, Atasha embodied the titular character, An

September 21 ------ Kapamilya singer Jona is bringing her love for animals to the concert stage. The singer announced that her upcoming solo concert will help support her spay and neuter advocacy for dogs and cats, a cause she believes can stop animal suffering before it starts. In a Facebook post, Jona explained why spaying and neutering matter, pointing out that the procedures help keep more animals from being born only to end up homeless and struggling on the streets.

September 21 ------ John Prats is set to direct his upcoming film with Heart Evangelista. On Instagram, the actor-director shared photos from the film's first production meeting. On a whiteboard, the words "JoHeart" and "Maybe In Another Universe" can be read. In his caption, John said he is "forever grateful for this moment." "Wow, Lord, You have a lot of surprises. Never saw this coming, and I will never take this for granted," John said in a mix of Filipino and English

MANILA, September 20 ------ P-pop girl group Baby Dolls is taking its “Pambansang Hype Pop” energy to the concert stage, with the seven-member “It’s Showtime” group set to headline its own show at the Skydome this November. Dubbed “Ooh La Live Sa Skydome,” the concert is scheduled for November 8 at SM North EDSA in Quezon City, with tickets to be sold through Ticketmaster. The group announced the concert Wednesday through social media, inviting its “Baby Loves” to sing, dance

September 20 ------ Ashtine Olviga and Aubrey Caraan believe Filipinos’ love for karaoke may also be one reason many of them become good singers. In an interview on the sidelines of the grand media launch of VivaOke, the two performers shared their thoughts on the country’s karaoke culture. “Siguro kaya magagaling kumanta kasi mahilig sa karaoke. Kapag lagi mo ginagawa, mapapractice,” Olviga told Inquirer Entertainment. “Kaya mahilig tayong kumanta kasi masaya kumanta eh.” Wh

September 19 ------ DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” brings Filipino-inspired storytelling and an ensemble of Filipino and Filipino-American talent to theaters on Sept. 23. The animated film follows lifelong best friends Jo and Raissa, who discover a mysterious portal that transports them to Nakali, a fantastical island inhabited by mythical creatures inspired by stories from their Filipino families. Their adventure takes a more personal turn when they discover tha

MANILA, Philippines, September 19 ------ Judy Ann Santos recently shared how actors, despite spending much of their lives in the public eye, go through very personal struggles like everyone else. That was one reason she sought the help of a life coach. “Hindi kami robot. Hindi kami mannequin na wala kaming pakiramdam,” Judy Ann said. “Normal kami may pinagdadaanan kami. Ang kaibahan lang, magnified lahat ng nangyayari sa amin.” At the same time, the actress-host and chef st

September 18 ------ After a long delay that was threatening to become more and more controversial by the day, the names of the latest batch named to the Filipino Order of the National Artist were made known last week. It is an impressive batch, a line-up that nobody, except perhaps for those candidates who lost, is likely to take issue with. The only sad thing about this is that some of them are posthumous awardees. This means that they had already passed on and are not aro

September 18 ------ Ashtine Olviga admitted that being named Best Actress at the recently concluded Manila International Festival (MIFF) in Hollywood for her performance in “Manila’s Finest” was something she never expected. The actress-singer had previously been nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last year but did not win. She learned about the MIFF win from film director Raymond Red, followed by congratulatory messages from h

September 18 ------ BINI has added another international recognition to its growing list of achievements after earning three nominations at Brazil’s BreakTudo Awards 2026. The group is nominated for International Women's Group, where it is up against BABYMONSTER, BLACKPINK, FLO, ILLIT, ITZY, KATSEYE, and TWICE. BINI’s “Sweet Tooth” also scored a nomination for International Music Video, joining entries from ENHYPEN, Lisa, BLACKPINK, Ariana Grande, BE, Lady Gaga and Doechii,

MANILA, Philippines, September 18------ Kapuso viewers will see a familiar face taking over the podium of GMA Network’s “Family Feud” as Michael V. temporarily assumes hosting duties while Dingdong Dantes attends to the tapings of “The Master Cutter.” For Michael V., the opportunity also marks a welcome return to game show hosting, something he said he realized he had missed only after stepping in front of the “Family Feud” audience. “Naku, napakasaya, miss na miss ko na '

September 17 ------ Dionela, IV of Spades, and SB19 emerged as the top honorees at the 39th Awit Awards held in Pasay City. Dionela led this year’s winners with four recognitions—Best Vocal Arrangement, Best Collaboration, Best Rap/HipHop Recording, and Best R&B Recording for his single “Ikigai” which featured rapper Loonie. IV of Spades took home a total of three awards, including the Album of the Year accolade for its second studio album “Andalucia” and the Song of the

MANILA, Philippines, September 17 ------ Filipinos are finally getting well-deserved recognition on the global stage, says Liza Soberano. Philstar.com exclusively spoke to the actress during the promotional rounds for her latest film "Forgotten Island," a DreamWorks Animation movie inspired by Filipino culture, mythology, and folklore. Majority of the project's cast and crew is of Filipino descent. Liza leads the voice cast alongside fellow Filipino-American H.E.R., and tog

MANILA, Philippines, September 17 ------ After 40 years in the industry, Richard Reynoso has not only made his mark in the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) scene but also broadened his horizons by dabbling in acting and hosting. The veteran artist is looking back on his music and entertainment career at the concert titled “RR40: Timeless Memories” on Sept. 26, 7 p.m. at Teatrino in Greenhills with fans and the music-loving public. It is a production of Mhae Sarena’s Echo Jam.

September 17 ------ OPM icon Gary Valenciano is set to reconnect with audiences with “Back at the Museum,” a 10-show concert series scheduled next month at the Music Museum in San Juan. The shows on all Thursdays and Saturdays of October (Oct. 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31) take Valenciano back to a venue that has been closely associated with his career now spanning more than four decades. “I think this is one of the most intimate venues we have in the Philippines