Arts & Entertainment News (04/01/26)
GMA offers special programming for Holy Week
GMA will have special programming from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday (April 2 to 5). On Thursday, this will include films like Jesus, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Forrest Gump, and The Ten Commandments. On Friday, child-friendly movies will air as well as family stories such as Siete Palabras, Aguila, and Family of Two. On Saturday, the film Firefly is set to air for the first time on Philippine free TV alongside other reflective and inspirational films. On Sunday, GMA will return to regular programming with programs such as All-Out Sundays and Regal Studio Presents, among others.
The Drama opens in PHL cinemas this weekend
PIONEER FILMS Philippines is bringing the film The Drama to local cinemas on April 4. It stars two-time Emmy Award winner Zendaya and acclaimed actor Robert Pattinson in a romantic dark comedy from director Kristoffer Borgli. Mr. Pattinson plays a British expat and museum curator while Zendaya plays a literary editor, who meet in a Cambridge café and quickly fall into a whirlwind romance. The happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.
Ligaya Escueta releases single
PUNK ROCK singer Ligaya Escueta has dropped a new single titled “June,” a song about young romance featuring an almost ethereal melody. Coming down from the high of her emotionally charged album Dollweb, Ms. Escueta delivers a track inspired by the transcendental gloom pop melodies of slow-guitar bands like Wisp and the Cocteau Twins and Asian shoegaze artists like Honeydip and Megumi Acorda, a product of her experiences as a young musician and student. “June” is now available on all digital streaming platforms. She will also be performing live on April 9 at Mow’s for FUZZY 4EVER’s Scott Pilgrim night.
Animal-themed dance on accountability staged
INSPIRED by the musical suite Carnival of the Animals, a 45-minute allegorical dance will be presented by up-and-coming Filipino artists through the use of animal archetypes, mirrors, and masks. The production, BPAD in Motion: Panagutin, directed by Nina Anonas, integrates classical music, contemporary popular sound, protest songs, and indigenous sonic textures into a cohesive musical structure. Featured in the show are choreographies by Mycs Villoso, Christine Crame, Myra Medrana, and Miriam Madamba. Likewise showcased are creations of Richardson Yadao, Monica Amanda Gana, and BPAD students Genesis Arabe and Ibarra Immanuel Toledo. BPAD in Motion: Panagutin will have performances at 1, 4, and 7 p.m. on April 10. Shows will be held at the 6F Blackbox of the Benilde Design + Arts Campus, Pablo Ocampo St., Malate, Manila. Tickets are available at P350 for the general public and P300 for Benildeans. Interested viewers can reserve their slots at tinyurl.com/BPADInMotionPanagutin.
Historical dramas stream on GMA Play
GMA NETWORK’s streaming platform GMA Play presents critically acclaimed historical drama series Maria Clara at Ibarra and Pulang Araw, which explore pivotal moments in Philippine history. GMA Play is free to download on smartphones through the App Store or Google Play Store. The shows can also be streamed via www.gmanetwork.com/gmaplay, and on Smart TVs with Google TV.
Charlie Puth releases 4th studio album
AHEAD of his WHATEVER’S CLEVER! world tour starting next month, Charlie Puth has released his 4th studio album, Whatever’s Clever!, via Atlantic Records. Immersed in classics from Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, and Philip Bailey, he embraced sounds like the Yamaha CP70 and experimented with techniques during sessions at his home studio to come up with the record. His collaborator on the album is co-producer BloodPop. Whatever’s Clever! is now out on all digital music streaming platforms.
Filing for Love to premiere on HBO Max
KOREAN stars Shin Hae-sun and Gong Myoung star in a new Korean comedy series titled Filing for Love, set to premiere on April 25 on HBO Max. The 12-episode series follows an unlikely duo who navigate through workplace politics, a secret past, and revenge, all while falling in love. The series is directed by Jamie K Lee, written by Yeo Eun-ho, and created by Yang Hee-seung. It is produced by Studio Dragon.
BINI is Spotify’s EQUAL Global Ambassador
SPOTIFY has announced that P-pop girl group BINI is the EQUAL Global Ambassador for April and the second most-streamed EQUAL artist of all time. EQUAL is Spotify’s global music program that fosters equity for women in the music industry. The group’s trajectory is credited to their fanbase, the BLOOMs, who stream, share, and champion the group’s music, according to the music streaming giant. Over the past five years, Filipina artists on Spotify have seen an 80% increase in export streams, spanning artists like Moira Dela Torre, Denise Julia, Janine Berdin, and Sarah Geronimo, who have collectively amassed 11.4 billion streams on Spotify.
Kim Seonho to return to Manila in May
THE 2026 Kim Seonho fan meeting in Manila will take place on May 31 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Presented by Ovation Productions, it will mark the South Korean superstar’s return to the Philippines. He is known as “Good Boy” by fans, following his breakout role in Start-Up. He has since starred in romance series like When Life Gives You Tangerines and Can This Love Be Translated? as well as the thriller The Childe, where his character speaks Tagalog. Ticketing details will be announced soon.
Leona releases emotional new single
AFTER a hiatus, Filipino band Leona is back with their most personal release to date, “Isang Sandali Pa,” under Universal Records Philippines. The band reveals that the song was written as a tribute to their bassist’s beloved dog, who passed away a few months ago. The track channels their collective grief and growth into a sound that is more mature, cinematic, and vulnerable than before. “Isang Sandali Pa” is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Scary Movie lands in cinemas in June
THE new Scary Movie, starring Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans (both back in the film franchise after 25 years), Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Damon Wayans, Jr., and more, will open in Philippine cinemas on June 10. Twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer, the film follows the Core Four who are back in the killer’s crosshairs.
Icona Pop releases new single featuring Daya
MULTI-PLATINUM duo Icona Pop is back with a new single, “Ritual,” featuring Daya. It was written by the duo based on a period of personal struggle, survival, and revelation. The high-energy anthem captures the power of movement, release, and self-reclamation on the dance floor, introducing a more vulnerable and emotionally grounded side of the artists. It is out now on all digital music streaming platforms.
