July 8, 2026

July 8, 2026

July 8, 2026

July 8, 2026

GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures' animated documentary film "58th" won the Facing the Edge Award at the 2026 Doc Edge Festival, the premier documentary festival and Academy Awards-qualifying event in New Zealand.

 

“58th” was recognized as one of the films that brought viewers "to the boundary of justice, technology, love, and what it means to be human in a shifting world." The film is under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Carl Joseph Papa and stars Sparkle star Glaiza de Castro .

 

The award further solidified the film's growing international success following its official selection at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, and its inclusion in the Top 10 Audience Choice Films at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

 

“58th” commemorates the Maguindanao Massacre, considered one of the bloodiest tragedies journalists have faced in history. While paying tribute to the victims, the film highlights the still-unsolved case of Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay, considered the 58th victim.

 

GMA Pictures Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President for GMA Public Affairs Nessa Valdellon presented the award for the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre.

 

Valdellon also served as a Wayfinder at Doc Edge Pitch, where he mentored documentary filmmakers by providing guidance, feedback, and industry insights to help develop meaningful documentary projects.

 

Using animation and archival footage, “58th” brings a young audience and global viewers a glimpse into an important part of Philippine history. The film addresses issues of free press, democracy, election-related violence, impunity, and accountability.

 

This recognition of Doc Edge at the “58th” is proof of the commitment of GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures to producing world-class and socially relevant Filipino films.

 

For more stories about the Kapuso Network, visit www.GMANetwork.com .

July 3, 2026

One smart move gave Joyce Tan peace of mind when she needed it most, showing how Home Credit supports its customers through life’s unexpected moments.  

July 2, 2026

LEYTE Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has not been linked by any evidence to alleged anomalous flood control projects, his spokesperson said Thursday, arguing that the accusations are inconsistent with how the national budget process operates.

In a statement, Atty. Elaine A. Atienza said that despite Senate and House inquiries and other official investigations, no former or incumbent official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has identified Romualdez as having participated in the planning, procurement, implementation, inspection, payment or release of funds for any alleged ghost flood control project.

She added that even former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who had firsthand knowledge of the department’s operations, never implicated the Leyte lawmaker.

“Simple lang kung bakit — because Rep. Romualdez was not involved,” Atienza said.

She said the allegations fail to reflect how the national budget is crafted and implemented.

“The issue traces back to the national budget process. Sa prosesong iyan — no single person—not even the Speaker of the House—can control,” she said.

Atienza explained that the National Expenditure Program is prepared by the Executive branch through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and implementing agencies, including the DPWH, before it is submitted to Congress for deliberation by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“No Speaker can dictate upon Cabinet secretaries. Neither can he dictate upon senators, who exercise their own independent constitutional mandate. Sila po ay pantay-pantay diyan being elected officials. Primus inter pares,” Atienz said.

She stressed that once the budget becomes law, the Speaker has “absolutely no authority” over project bidding, contract awards, implementation, inspections, payments or the release of government funds.

“Hindi niya po saklaw ang pagpapa-release ng budget. Those are functions vested by law in the Executive Branch,” Atienza said.

She added: “Hindi kayang utusan ng Speaker ang DPWH Secretary. Hindi niya kayang diktahan ang DBM o ang Senado. At lalong hindi siya ang nagpa-plano ng proyekto, nagpapa-bid, nag-a-award ng kontrata, nag-iinspeksyon, o naglalabas ng pondo.”

According to Atienza, insisting that Romualdez was the alleged “mastermind” would require the public to believe that one person controlled every stage of the budget and infrastructure process.

“Ang gustong palabasin ng iba, parang iisang tao ang may hawak ng buong gobyerno. Hindi po ganoon ang ating Konstitusyon,” Atienza said.

Atienza maintained that accountability should rest on those who exercised legal and operational authority over the projects.

“If there were irregularities in any infrastructure project, then those who actually exercised legal and operational authority should be identified and held accountable. Accountability must follow the evidence—not political convenience,” Atienza said.

“Kung may nagkasala, papanagutin natin. Pero huwag nating gawing shortcut ang paghahanap ng isang malaking pangalan para lang may maipakita sa publiko,” Atienza said. 

Atienza said Romualdez was being portrayed as a “convenient excuse and political scapegoat” despite the absence of evidence linking him to the alleged anomalous projects.

“At the end of the day, justice demands only one standard,” Atienza said.

“Sa paghahanap ng hustisya, hindi puwedeng mauna ang akusasyon bago ang ebidensya. Sa batas, ang ebidensya ang nagtuturo kung sino ang mananagot,” said Atienza. 

June 30, 2026

From games to exclusive offers to food samples, the event showcased how all you want in a tasty dish can be tasted and experienced with the all-in-one MAGGI Magic Sarap

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – MAGGI brought together food, fun, and flavorful discovery at the MAGGI Food Park at Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, transforming the venue into a vibrant destination that celebrated how everything consumers need in a tasty dish is in the all-in-one MAGGI Magic Sarap.

Designed as an immersive on-ground experience for Filipino shoppers and families, the event showed how even as ingredient prices continue to rise, home cooks can still create tasty, satisfying dishes with the help of MAGGI Magic Sarap.

 

Overall, the MAGGI Food Park highlighted the brand’s role as a complete cooking companion for everyday meals. At the heart of the message was a simple but meaningful truth for Filipino families – that even when the cost of ingredients feels out of control, delicious food can still be within reach. 

 

With its all-in-one blend of onion, garlic, real chicken, and spices, MAGGI Magic Sarap helps transform simple dishes into more flavorful meals, making sulit cooking easier and more enjoyable at home. 

Set against larger-than-life backdrops and booths, the Food Park recreated the warmth and energy of a neighborhood park with a playful culinary twist. Guests were welcomed by a bold entrance arch before stepping into a lively space filled with cooking booths, activity stations, picnic-style seating, product displays, and shareable content corners. 

 

The setup combined the excitement of a community fair with the familiarity of everyday Filipino cooking, creating a colorful environment where people could discover, taste, play, and connect – allowing all to discover how MAGGI provides all-in-one sa sangkap, sarap, at saya across the numerous fun games, free food samples, and personalization opportunities offered at the event.

Joining this momentous event were MAGGI brand faces Melai Cantiveros, Vanjo Merano (Panlasang Pinoy), and Jujumao, who brought added energy and relatability to the Food Park experience. Through entertainment and storytelling, the event reinforced MAGGI’s belief that cooking at home can remain joyful, creative, and rewarding, even in challenging times. 

More than an on-ground activation, the MAGGI Food Park reflected MAGGI’s continuing commitment to support Filipino home cooks with practical, flavorful solutions for everyday meals. By combining cooking inspiration, product discovery, immersive play, and community experience in one destination, the event showed that when it comes to taste, convenience, and value, all you want is in the all-in-one MAGGI Magic Sarap.

June 25, 2026

Well known and respected TV, online and entertainment personalities like David Licauco, Fabio Ide, Ellen Frojd, Teejay Marquez, and newest endorser Janeena Chan were presented to the media peeps at the recent Bluewater Day Spa's "Summer Unwind" event. 

Self-care and wellness are two of the most stimulating and immersing topics nowadays, these celebrities talked about how they're able to pause, recharge and unwind after engaging in their busy, hectic schedules. 

Of all the most sought-after services of the BlueWater Day Spa, the signature Chiang Mai Massage has caught my attention and interest alongside the restorative Thai Yoga Massage, and the advanced 5D Laser Treatment.

It was a very fun and memorable event--- the celebrity endorsers get to mingle and join the games and challenges with us, and everyone.

I hope it's not still too late for all of us to take care of ourselves, give time to breath...like pause ... reset and give our body and mind to rest well. In short, it isn't bad to reward ourselves from time to time, right?! After all, we deserve it! So next time I visit any branch of Bluewater Day Spa, I'd really love to try their signature Chiang Mai massage while enjoying the and entertaining myself in their theater.  

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In an industry where long shooting days, endless commitments, and demanding schedules have become the norm, making time for wellness has become more important than ever.

This was the message shared by BlueWater Day Spa endorsers David Licauco, Fabio Ide, Ellen Frojd, Teejay Marquez, and newest endorser Janeena Chan during the brand’s recently held “Summer Unwind” event at BlueWater Day Spa Eton Greenhills.

Hosted by Jerome Sangalang, the gathering brought together members of the entertainment media, lifestyle personalities, and friends of the brand for an afternoon focused on self-care, wellness, and meaningful conversations about maintaining balance amid busy lifestyles.

One of the event’s highlights was the official introduction of Janeena Chan as the newest member of the BlueWater Day Spa family.

The singer, host, and content creator shared her excitement about joining a brand whose values align with her own advocacy for wellness and positive living.

Meanwhile, actor and entrepreneur David Licauco reflected on his long-standing relationship with BlueWater Day Spa, a partnership that has grown alongside his career through the years.

Known for remaining grounded despite his continued success, David shared that taking care of one’s well-being is just as important as achieving professional milestones.

Fabio Ide and Ellen Frojd also spoke about the role wellness plays within their family life.

The celebrity couple revealed how wellness experiences have become opportunities for quality family bonding, emphasizing the importance of teaching children the value of balance, self-care, and healthy habits at an early age.

For Teejay Marquez, whose work often takes him to different countries, maintaining physical and mental wellness has become essential in keeping up with a fast-paced lifestyle.

The actor and content creator shared how making time to recharge allows him to continue bringing positive energy both online and offline.

Beyond the conversations, the afternoon was filled with laughter as the endorsers participated in interactive games alongside members of the media.

The friendly challenges gave attendees a glimpse of the celebrities’ personalities outside of their usual on-screen roles, creating memorable moments throughout the event.

The gathering also highlighted some of BlueWater Day Spa’s most sought-after services, including the signature Chiang Mai Massage, the restorative Thai Yoga Massage, and the advanced 5D Laser Treatment.

According to BlueWater Day Spa President and CEO Mary Simisim, the event was designed to remind people that wellness should not be viewed as an occasional indulgence but as an essential part of everyday life.

As summer continues, the brand hopes to inspire more Filipinos to prioritize themselves, slow down when needed, and make time to recharge.

After all, as the campaign’s message reminds everyone, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to simply pause, recharge, and unwind.

For over two decades, BlueWater Day Spa has remained one of the country’s leading wellness destinations, offering a wide range of treatments designed to help guests achieve relaxation, rejuvenation, and overall well-being.

BlueWater Day Spa is one of the Philippines’ leading wellness destinations, offering a comprehensive range of massage, body, wellness, and skincare treatments designed to promote relaxation, rejuvenation, and overall well-being.

Known for its signature wellness experiences, BlueWater Day Spa continues to provide guests with a sanctuary where they can pause, recharge, and unwind from the demands of everyday life.

BlueWater Day Spa has branches in Banawe, Quezon City; Eton Square Ortigas in Greenhills, San Juan; and Estancia Mall in Pasig City.

To learn more, follow @bluewaterdayspaofficial on Instagram and TikTok, and bwdspa on Facebook.

June 23, 2026

The Lingering Pride Initiative of Verde Creatives and the Radical Non-Political Stance of Ms. Bemz Benedito

Verde Creatives, a leading cultural coordinator and public relations powerhouse in the Philippines, has officially commenced its landmark June 2026 digital Pride initiative, RAINBOW VOICES: Mga Mukha at Boses ng Bahaghari. Building upon its long- standing collaboration with key public-private institutions, including joint human rights advocacy frameworks established in late 2025 with the Commission on Human Rights, Verde Creatives continues to integrate systemic socio- -political advocacy directly into its corporate communications and cultural programming.

 The campaign is being coordinated under the visionary leadership of Ms. Bemz Benedito, ts Founding Managing Director, who remains an iconic domestic and global figure within the rainbow movement.

The launch of the project was marked bv a comprehensive press briefing last 11th of June 2026, 1:00 PM, at the Dark Roast Coffee House along Maginhawa Street in Diliman, Quezon City. This strategic location, historically situated within the intellectual and activist hub of Metro Manila, provides the baseline for the campaign's execution on Verde Creatives' official digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

For over three decades, Ms. Benedito has utilized her platform to serve as a relevant, authentic voice for the attainment of structural gender equality and human rights protections in the Philippines, a struggle propelled into national focus during the early 1990s.

Through her leadership at Verde Creatives, as well as her previous guidance of organizations Ladlad Partylist and STRAP, "Ms. Benedito has consistently championed the lived dignity of transpinays and LGBTQIA+ community as a whole. This is exemplified by the agency's recently highly successful forum and film showing, "BABAE  KAMI: Lakas, Laban, at Likha," which reclaims the pre-colonial, gender-diverse spiritual legacy of the babaylan and asog to empower modern transpinay narratives.

Addressing critics who view her persistent advocacy and Pride-related cultural initiatives as a strategic stepping stone toward electoral politics, Ms. Benedito issued a definitive and powerful statement prior to the campaign's launch:"I don't have any plans of joining politics anymore; not even as a representative of any party-list. I have been doing this as an organic part of Verde Creatives core advocacies, because our struggle for human dignity and structural equality cannot be reduced to an electoral tactic or a seat in Congress."

By intentionally divesting from the highly gridlocked and transactional legislative arena, Ms. Benedito's stance marks a significant shift in local LGBTQIA+ strategic philosophy Her trajectory from serving as the primary congressional nominee for the Ang Ladlad party-list in the 2010 and 2013 midterms to focusing entirely on creative corporate responsibility (CSR) and cultural coordination suggests that genuine political agency is increasingly located outside the state apparatus. "The victory of our movement will be secured when our most vulnerable masses- the working-class transgender individuals, the impoverished service workers, and the neglected elder queer citizens-are protected from both physical violence and economic erasure in their daily lives, " Ms, Benedito stated firmly, underscoring her reorientation as a calculated response to a compromised national political landscape. As Verde Creatives marks its ninth successful year in the industry she chose for her team to shine in, Ms. Benedito remains steadfast in her commitment to advancing Pride advocacy through the cultivation of sustainable community counter-power. Her resolve to push the movement forward is evident in every initiative she undertakes.

To this end, she harnesses the strengths of her powerhouse team in the creative media and public relations industry, strategically leveraging media representation to deliver direct mutual aid to the most vulnerable sectors of the LGBTQIA+ community. Rather than seeking validation from an increasingly hostile legislative landscape, she continues to invest in grassroots empowerment, solidarity, and tangible community support.

June 20, 2026