Category: Business Mirror

Celebrating beauty with a purpose. The leading digital entertainment platform in the country, BingoPlus, supported this year’s Miss Earth pageant and witnessed the crowning of the new queen who embodies the organization’s mission and environmental advocacy.

On November 5, the Miss Earth 2025 Coronation Night, themed ‘The Silver Lining,’ took place in Manila. The theme highlights the pageant’s milestone celebration of 25 years of promoting beauty, purpose, and environmental awareness.

Natalie Puskinova of the Czech Republic was crowned Miss Earth 2025, leading this year’s court of elemental titleholders – Miss Earth Air 2025 Soldis Ivarsdottir of Iceland, Miss Earth Water 2025 Mu Anh Trinh of Vietnam, and Miss Earth Fire 2025 Waree Ngamkham of Thailand.

Philippine’s very own Joy Barcoma proudly finished as one of the four runners-up, alongside Nathalie Briones of Chile, Laila Frizon of Brazil, and Mariia Zheliaskova of Ukraine.

BingoPlus’ unwavering support was clearly reflected as the major sponsor through its strong brand presence across the event. Mr. Jasper Vicencio, president of AB Leisure Exponent, Inc., likewise graced the occasion as a member of the distinguished panel of judges.

In 2024, BingoPlus sponsored the Miss Philippines Earth pageant. Continuing the partnership, the brand once again supported Miss Philippines Earth 2025.

Moreover, prior to the coronation night, Justyna Roguska of Poland earned the title of Miss BingoPlus 2025, a special recognition from the brand. Roguska was formally presented with the award at the BingoPlus headquarters.

Glitz and glamour filled the night, but beyond the beauty was the advocacy to protect and preserve the environment. During the question and answer portion, Miss Earth 2025 Natalie Puskinova left a lasting impression with her words in Filipino: ‘Protektahan ang kalikasan,’ a powerful reminder of the pageant’s mission.

In partnership with Miss Earth, BingoPlus reaffirms its commitment to creating a positive impact by supporting initiatives that address environmental and social issues. BingoPlus believes that true beauty shines through purpose – making a difference and working for a greener, better future for all.

ATHLETES from all 74 countries vying in the Third FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships kicking off on Thursday at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom within the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City are all in and accounted for.

‘We would like to welcome all our athletes, coaches and officials who are taking part in the world juniors and we are grateful for their enthusiastic response to our international competition,’ said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion after being informed of the development on Monday.

The moving force behind the staging of the global gymnastics spectacle, Carrion said that the contingents began streaming into the country over the weekend for five days thrilling days of action in the tournament backed by the Office of the President, Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Tourism.

She noted that those who will take part in the elite meet sanctioned by the International Gymnastics Federation, known by its French acronym FIG, have already exceeded its past two editions.

The second world Juniors in Antalya, Turkey, drew 64 nations and 283 athletes while the current edition also supported by Smart/PLDT with Cignal TV as the official broadcaster has already surpassed double the number of campaigners to close to 750.

‘This shows the growing interest in this beautiful and dynamic Olympic sport worldwide, so FIG member countries are fielding their promising young gymnasts knowing that this a major stepping stone to their development,’ added Carrion of competition also supported by Milo, Pocari Sweat and Senator Pia Cayetano.

Given that this was a golden opportunity for local young gymnasts to be exposed to top caliber play, she was grateful that world gymnastics body allowed the Philippines to field boys and girls squads in the tournament.

They will bannered by Karl Eldrew Yulo, fresh from intensive training in Japan, and Elizabeth Antone, who bagged a silver in the men’s vault and bronze in the women’s all-around, respectively, in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Junior Championships in Jecheon, South Korea last June.

‘While Paris Olympians Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo have already proven themselves on the world stage, we need to sustain their gains so this was one of our prime motivations to have the world juniors here,’ she said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) confirmed that the education sector will receive an unprecedented ?1.28 trillion under the House-approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 national budget, officially breaching the 4-percent share of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first time in the Philippines.

According to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, the landmark allocation reflects the government’s firm commitment to invest in education as a cornerstone of national development.

‘Ipinapakita lang po ng 4% level na ito kung gaano ka-seryoso ang ating pamahalaan sa pag-invest sa education system ng bansa. We have never stopped prioritizing our teachers, students, classrooms, and skills training,’ Pangandaman said.

The education budget, one of the largest in Philippine history, rose from the ?1.224 trillion originally proposed under the National Expenditure Program (NEP). After budget deliberations, the House of Representatives realigned an additional ?56.6 billion, bringing the total to ?1.28 trillion, equivalent to 4.1 percent of GDP.

‘This milestone aligns the Philippines with the UNESCO-recommended standard for education financing between 4 to 6 percent of GDP or 15 to 20 percent of total public spending,’ the secretary added.

The allocation covers the entire education sector, including the Department of Education (DepEd), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

‘Ibig sabihin po, we are on the same level as many developed countries when it comes to investing in education. If the economy is the body, education is the heart. Patuloy nating sisiguraduhin na malusog at tumitibok nang maayos ang puso ng ating bansa,’ she added.

To strengthen education’s infrastructure support, P35.1 billion of the additional P56.6 billion was sourced from adjustments within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), particularly from flood control projects, to reinforce the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEF).

The total education sector budget now stands at ?1.38 trillion, representing 12% of the national budget and 4.5% of GDP, which is the highest level in the Philippine history.

Of this amount, the Department of Education (DepEd) receives ?992.7 billion, reflecting an 8.6% increase or an additional ?78.5 billion. A large portion will address long-standing gaps in basic education, including the classroom backlog. DepEd is allocating ?68 billion for classroom construction, targeting the building of 19,000 to 27,000 new classrooms nationwide.

Major student support programs are also receiving significant boosts. The School-Based Feeding Program doubles from ?13 billion to ?28.66 billion, enabling operations across 200 school days and benefiting an estimated 4.8 million learners. Meanwhile, the budget for textbooks rises sharply from ?11 billion to ?29 billion to address shortages in learning materials.

To support learning recovery, the ARAL Program funding, which provides tutoring in Math and Reading, will increase from ?5.623 billion to ?8.93 billion, supporting 440,000 tutors and benefitting 6.7 million learners.

For higher education, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) receives ?48.2 billion, an 11% increase from last year’s ?43.6 billion. This includes ?6.6 billion for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), which will support 490,000 incoming college students from 4Ps households. Beneficiaries will receive ?20,000 if enrolled in public higher education institutions, and ?27,000 if enrolled in private HEIs in areas without nearby public colleges and universities.

Meanwhile, TESDA’s budget rises from ?23.5 billion to ?25.3 billion, with an additional ?5.1 billion allocated to the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), aimed at training 190,000 Filipinos in priority skills.

State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) will also see their funding increase from ?131.7 billion to ?140.3 billion, strengthening campus facilities, academic programs, and research capabilities across the country.

Pangandaman emphasized that the 2026 budget advances the goals of the Philippine Development Plan 2023 – 2028 and supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas vision of fostering innovation, competitiveness, and inclusive growth through education.

Globe Telecom Inc. remains on track to meet its full-year revenue guidance of low to mid-single digit growth, buoyed by improving quarterly momentum across all business segments, its president said last week.

Carl Cruz, the president and CEO of Globe, told reporters that the company is sticking to its guidance, citing strong performance across operational metrics.

‘I think the good thing with our results-all our ‘controllables,’ whether it’s revenue or cost, they are in a very good space at least sequentially,’ he said. ‘So, I’m very optimistic.’

For the nine months, ending September, Globe reported consolidated gross service revenues of P121.7 billion, slightly below the P124 billion posted in the same period last year.

Globe’s net income dropped by 14 percent to P17.7 billion, while core net income stood at P15.5 billion compared to P17.6 billion in the same period last year.

However, the consecutive quarterly improvements have bolstered management’s confidence in meeting the full-year target.

Globe posted its fastest sequential revenue growth in 13 quarters, with third-quarter consolidated gross service revenues reaching P41.5 billion-a 3-percent increase from the second quarter’s P40.3 billion.

‘The momentum is building from quarter two to quarter three,’ Cruz said. ‘From a revenue lens, all businesses, all segments are growing. Quarter three would be the fastest sequential growth, quarter on quarter basis, in the last 13 quarters.’

All major business segments contributed to the third-quarter uptick. Mobile service revenues increased 1 percent quarter-on-quarter to P29.1 billion. Home broadband revenues climbed 4 percent to P6.1 billion, and corporate data surged 13 percent to P5.4 billion.

‘We’re hoping that we will really end the year on a very strong footing, which is quarter four,’ Cruz said.

Looking ahead, Cruz confirmed that Globe will maintain capital expenditures (capex) below $1 billion for 2026, continuing the disciplined spending approach adopted this year.

‘About less than a billion dollars in cash capex-that’s the guidance,’ Cruz said. ‘This is reviewed on a regular basis. If there’s a need to actually increase, the shareholders are always willing to have a conversation about that.’

The 2026 target is a continuation of Globe’s capital optimization strategy aimed at strengthening free cash flow generation while maintaining essential network investments.

For January to September, cash capex reached P31.4 billion, down 23 percent from P41 billion in the same period last year.

‘We have to make sure that both the P and L and the balance sheet are in a very good space,’ Cruz said. ‘If we need to actually put that down, we do that ourselves.’

THE crypto market selloff shows no signs of abating, and the smallest, riskiest tokens are bearing the brunt of it.

The MarketVector Digital Assets 100 Small-Cap Index, which tracks the 50 smallest digital assets in a basket of 100, fell to its lowest level since 2020 on Sunday.

The low-point came as Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, erased what was until recently a 30 percent year-to-date gain, just weeks after setting an all-time high. Seen as a barometer for the very riskiest of speculative appetites, so-called altcoins are lagging their larger counterparts badly in 2025.

During past bull markets, the small-cap index often outpaced its large-cap counterpart, benefiting from traders’ hunger for high-risk, high-reward bets. But that trend reversed last year after the US approved Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded products, which became a focal point for institutional flows.

Over the past five years, the small-cap index is down nearly 8 percent, while its large-cap counterpart has surged about 380 percent, highlighting how far the segment has fallen out of favor.

Retail traders are learning lessons from previous cycles, said Pratik Kala, portfolio manager at Australia-based hedge fund Apollo Crypto. ‘A rising tide doesn’t lift all boats-it only lifts the quality ones,’ he added.

The broader crypto market is still reeling from an October 10 meltdown which triggered about $19 billion in liquidations and wiped out more than $1 trillion in market value across all tokens. Since then, risk appetite has collapsed, and traders continue to steer clear of the most speculative corners of the market.

HEALTH and beauty retailer Watsons continues to promote good health through various means as part of the brand’s purpose to ‘Look Good, Do Good, Feel Great.’

On November 29, Watsons Playlist 2025: All of the Feels Concert brings together two of OPM’s biggest names-Rico Blanco and Ben and Ben-for their first-ever exclusive collaboration. The concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum will also feature exclusive performances from Zack Tabudlo, Earl Agustin, the Juans, and Hey June!

Watsons sees self-care going beyond skincare and supplements. It can be about tuning in to your emotions through music, which is seen as a universal language.

Through Watsons Playlist 2025, the brand celebrates personal care and emotional care. The Watsons Playlist concert series originated as an exclusive event for Watsons Club members in the Philippines in 2023.

Watsons Playlist 2025: All The Feels Concert is supported by Stresstabs, Maybelline, Barenbliss, BYS, Luxe Organix, Fresh, Silk Secrets, Pretty Secret, Nivea, Bioten, Bloom, Safeguard, Watsons Brand, Collagen by Watsons, Dermaction Plus by Watsons, Hair System by Watsons, Naturals by Watsons, Target Pro by Watsons, Body Treats, Glam Works, Hair Treats, Watsons Generics, Kiss Hair, Enervon Z, Erceflora, Strepsils, Neozep Z+, Bigen Men, Freshman, Sofy, Revlon, Garnier, Pregroe, Regroe, Poten-Cee, Jeunesse, COSRX, Fern-C, Habit, Haircarebear, NutriXpert, and Wellspring.

‘Music and self-care really go hand in hand,’ said Rico Blanco. ‘Ibang klaseng experience kapag kasama mong nanonood ng concert ‘yung mga barkada, mga loved ones mo. It gives you a different level of warmth and love.’

‘Sobrang excited namin sa show na ‘to! We have lots of surprises prepared for this show, too, na dapat talagang abangan and we can’t wait to share all the feels with our Liwanag family,’ said Miguel of Ben and Ben.

‘I’m so excited to perform live and be part of something that connects music and self-care in such a real way,’ said Zach Tabudlo.

The Juans, known for the song ‘Hindi Tayo Pwede,’ is excited to perform at Watsons Playlist for the first time. ‘Sa totoo lang, music talaga helps us process our emotions-whether masaya or may pinagdadaanan,’ said Carl of The Juans.

Score tickets via the Watsons app. VIP Seated tickets are free for a minimum purchase of P6,500 while VIP Standing seats come free for every P6,300 spent. Patron tickets are free for every P5,500 checkout, Lower Box Premium tickets for every P5,000, and Lower Box Regular tickets for every P4,000 worth of purchases.

Upper Box and General Admission tickets are free for every P2,500 and P2,000 worth of purchases, respectively. Ticket tiers are subject to availability, and tickets are included as your gift with purchase for every single-receipt checkout that meets the minimum purchase requirement. Each purchase should also include at least one participating item.

Qualifying purchase amounts are exclusive of standard delivery fee. You will see your Watsons Playlist 2025 concert ticket as a gift with purchase (GWP) item in your checkout basket. One completed transaction is equivalent to one ticket.

When Converge co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy speaks of building a ‘Digital Philippines’ anchored on a sovereign cloud and nationwide fiber infrastructure, he is not speaking in metaphors. He is articulating a long-term architecture for a country whose competitiveness now depends on data, speed, and secure connectivity.

Converge today is no longer just a challenger telco. It is fast becoming a national-scale digital utility whose fundamentals point to quiet but formidable strength. In fact, it is earning plaudits for its way of doing business and its financials reveal that it is hitting its KPIs, key performance indicators that show its institutional leadership.

Its financial results for the first nine months of 2025 reinforce this trajectory. Converge posted P32.9 billion in revenues, up 10 percent, driven by a resilient residential subscriber base and a 16-percent jump in enterprise clients. Its EBITDA surged to P20.2 billion, with a margin of 61 percent-one of the highest across Asean telecoms. Net income reached P8.9 billion, mirroring strong cost discipline and operating efficiency.

The company’s fresh Five Golden Arrow award from the Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard is a milestone rarely achieved by a five-year-old publicly listed corporation. This recognition places Converge among the Philippines’ best-governed companies-and signals to both local and foreign investors that the telco’s governance architecture is not superficial but structural.

Converge’s success can be attributed not just to Uy’s tech savvy but to having put in his board two figures whose public service footprints are etched into the country’s developmental history: Management whiz Jose ‘Ping’ de Jesus, who was DPWH Secretary under President Cory Aquino and later DOTC Secretary under the presidency of Benigno Aquino Jr., and the financial acumen of former BSP Governor Amando Tetangco.

I remember feasting on lechon early in the night with legendary construction magnate F. F. Cruz together with Ping de Jesus and a few others during the concrete pouring for the Ortigas Interchange. Ping’s foresight in building secondary roads ahead of the said infra prevented the paralyzing traffic that would have crippled the capital. And Governor Tetangco Jr., as steward of the central bank, reversed the image of the country as a net borrower to that of a net lender. Tetangco achieved macroeconomic credibility so solid that we became an IMF lender of $1 billion-a symbolic turning point for national stability.

With directors of this caliber providing guidance, Converge’s governance success is no accident. It is engineered. This, in essence, is what provides insights into the listed company’s push for Digital Philippines, a launchpad for the future of the country’s success as a magnet for capital. Both De Jesus and Tetangco have solid credentials in securing foreign investments for the company’s expansion program that includes undersea cable infra.

We understand that Converge is set to activate next month the Bifrost Cable System and the Southeast Asia Hainan-Hong Kong Express Cable System (SEA H2X) that would link the country to connection points in the Asia-Pacific region. Bifrost spans a 20,000-kilometer subsea cable system with a capacity of up to 15 terabits per second (Tbps).

The company also maintains one of the healthiest balance sheets in Philippine corporate circles. Net debt-to-EBITDA stands at only 0.4x, gross debt decreased by 14 percent, and its debt service coverage ratio of 3.4x far exceeds covenant requirements. These figures give Converge wide strategic room-allowing expansion into underserved regions, enabling investments in data centers, and opening the path toward a sovereign cloud infrastructure that could one day secure the nation’s digital assets.

A sovereign cloud is not just a technological upgrade. It is an act of digital independence: ensuring that government databases, citizen records, and critical national systems remain under Philippine jurisdiction. In a world of cyberattacks and data espionage, this is not optional. It is foundational.

Converge today stands at the intersection of governance, discipline, innovation, and national relevance. It is one of the rare Filipino companies that can scale capacity while strengthening balance-sheet integrity-a combination that places it in the league of future digital pillars of the country.

As the Philippines strives for economic renewal and technological modernization, companies like Converge will form the backbone of a broader national transformation. They quietly expand fiber, strengthen digital infrastructure, and reinforce investor confidence. In an environment often shaken by regulatory unpredictability, Converge is showing what consistency, vision, and governance can accomplish.

The Digital Philippines will not be built overnight. But if we are to build it at all, it will require institutions whose architecture is as solid as their ambition. Converge is one of them.

A NEWCOMER to the international stage and a battle-tested veteran stamped their class in the inaugural 5150 FAB Triathlon champions at the Freeport Area of Bataan on Sunday.

Local ace Erik Esperanzate shook off a sluggish swim with a blistering assault in the bike leg-his strongest discipline-before outhustling James Van Ramoga in the final run to secure the overall crown in the 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run race in two hours, 31 minutes and 47 seconds.

‘I poured it all in the bike, that’s my strength.and I just floated in the run leg,’ said Esperanzate as he relished a triumphant debut in his first international triathlon.

The 18-year-old standout from PUP Bataan, already a familiar face in local competitions and a former Batang Pinoy podium finisher in criterium cycling, pieced together splits of 29:03 (swim), 1:12:47 (bike) and 47:42 (run).

Ramoga came in second in 2:32:58 while Finland’s Jamo Makelainen snatched third place honors in 2:41:09.

In the women’s division of the inaugural race organized by Sunrise Events Inc. in cooperation with FAB, Nicole Andaya again proved why inaugural Olympic-distance races suit her perfectly, powering her way to the overall title with a decisive performance in the bike segment, where she recorded 1:29:37 on her way to a 2:52:53 total clocking.

She negotiated the swim in 28:32 and the run in 0:51:05.

‘I really like the bike course because of the climb.and pain is part of triathlon,’ said Andaya, who also won the first 5150 Dapitan last year. ‘But when you reach the top, you see the view of the whole Bataan, which I really enjoy.’

Nica Virtucio timed 3:00:23 to place second while Jayvee Guemo finished third in 3:01:52.

Esperanzate and Andaya topped their respective age groups-Esperanzate ruling the 16-19 division and Andaya leading the 30-34 bracket.

Other age-group winners in the 5150 FAB were (men’s division) Ramoga (20-24 – 2:32:58); Ivan Reyes (25-29 – 2:44:48); Adrian Gonzales (30-34 – 2:56:22); Cha Cruz (35-39 – 2:42:57); Jeremy Go (40-44 – 3:00:30); Makelainen (45-49 – 2:41:09); Jose Tindog (50-54 – 2:59:59); Dante Macalintal (55-59 – 2:56:56); Joseph Tuazon (60-64 – 3:32:04) and Manolo Sitchon (65-69 – 4:51:26);

(Women’s) Guemo (25-29 – 3:01:52); Mitsuki Tanaka-Tan (35-39 – 3:07:53); Cristine Montuya (40-44 – 3;04:31); Mishka Uytengsu (45-49 – 3:29:51); Anna Marie Rocillo (50-54 – 4:04:24); and Leoniza Gusilatar (55-59 – 4:36:49).

In the Sunrise Sprint, a 750-m swim, 20-km bike, and 5-km run, Natalie Loise won the women’s 25-29 title in 1:52:43, while Monique Martinez topped the 30-34 division in 1:57:53.

Other winners were Marylou Ang (35-39 – 2:07:22); Angeline Omilig (40-44 – 2:12:01) and Margie Reyes (60-64 – 3:05:12)

Sean Julian, on the other hand, timed 1:32:47 to rule the 16-19 in the men’s side, along with Adrian Bangkiling (20-24 – 1:24:42); Ryan delos Reyes (25-29 – 1:54:04); Paolo Cua (30-34 – 1:40:34); Bryan Degoma (35-39 – 1:44:43); Anthony Emperado (40-44 – 2:04:19); Alessio Giardino of Italy (45-49 – 1:36:07); Brian Castillo (50-54 – 1:47:31); and Raimo Kauttio of Finland (55-59 – 2:30:17).

FIT PH, bannered by Arden Gonzales and Paul Garcia and Mishka Uytengsu, captured the team competition in 16:58:37, while topping the relay event were BYBS Tri (women’s – 2:43:31); Project Z (men’s – 2:29:35); and The Usuals (mixed – 2:34:38).

Aside from the incredible music, what made me a fan of Wolfgang was the depth and breadth of vocalist Basti Artadi’s lyrics. I always thought that this was the work of a well-read, deep, and creative man.

Hard rock isn’t usually given to a literary bent, but whenever I hear Wolfgang, I always think of Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden; bands given to songs about literature, war, mythology, and dark fantasy, among others.

And it is cool that in the last several years, we’re seeing a greater appreciation and a revival of all things Wolfgang. Is this the second act of their lives?

First, there was a re-release of Acoustica in record format. Then there was the graphic novel treatment of their song, ‘Darkness Fell’. And more recently, the 30th Anniversary editions of their self-titled debut album, which is one of the greatest OPM albums ever.

Now, there is Si Faust, a rock and roll opera making use of reworked Wolfgang songs wrapped around a reimagination of the magnum opus of German Literature – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s ‘Faust.’ Now, if that isn’t a sign that it is a match made in both heaven and hell, I don’t know what is.

In a nutshell, the German tragedy is about a man named Faust who makes a deal with the devil and ends up biting more than he can chew.

That is not the case for Arete, the hub for creativity and innovation at the Ateneo de Manila University. Si Faust is their first stab ever at a rock opera staging.

While there have been previous stagings of rock operas locally – Jesus Christ Superstar comes to mind – Si Faust is a bold musical to stage because the play director Nelsito Gomez studied and dissected Wolfgang’s songs and once finding a common thread, decided to use Faust. Except it isn’t set in 16th-century Germany but in a Philippine setting.

It wasn’t just the Wolfgang songs but even the performances. The band’s brilliant guitarist, Manuel Legarda, had to perform and change the guitar parts for an opera setting. His work on them, including the performances, well, I will never look at a Wolfgang song in the same light.

Adding to the bold moves is casting Joseton Vergel de Dios as Faust in his first stage performance. He was brilliant.

Post-show, I joked to Wolfgang guitarist Manuel Legarda, you know where to get a singer in case Basti isn’t free.

Add to that the minimalist design of the stage by director Nelsito Gomez and the fitting of Wolfgang’s songs into a localized setting of the German play. brilliant!

I love that they cast Maita Ponce as Mephistopheles. Sometimes, I actually thought she stole the show from Vergel de Dios’ Faust.

Without giving away anything, as this will be the final week of its stage run (at least for now), Si Faust is mesmerizing from the story, the reworked songs, and the powerful performances.

As for the soundtrack, from the opening scene and medley of ‘Twist of Lime’, ‘Molds’, ‘Emperor Wurm’, and ‘Sanctified’ (from Wolfgang’s third album, Wurm) to the final medley of ‘Aching Tree’, ‘IOU’, ‘Hell Looks’, ‘A Matter of Time’, ‘Le Fusilier’s Theme’, and ‘Cast of Clowns’ (all songs save for the latter that is from Wolfgang’s self-titled debut while all the others are also from Wurm), my hair stood up. Who needs gel or spray net when you have Si Faust! In fact, during the break between the first and second acts, I asked Basti to feel the goose bumps that had not subsided. That is how much I was feeling about Si Faust.

And I am happy to say that you do not need to be a Wolfgang fan to appreciate or even enjoy Si Faust. The young girl who sat next to me wasn’t even a fan. To borrow her words, she had her mouth open in amazement from the beginning.

But don’t just take it from me. Embrace the darkness – and brilliance – of Si Faust in this final week at the Arete. And. the exciting second act in Wolfgang’s life.

Thursday November 20 at 7:30PM

Friday November 21 at 7:30PM

Saturday November 22 at 2PM and 7:30PM

Sunday November 23 at 2PM and 7:30PM

INTERNATIONAL human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and actor-director George Clooney headlined this year’s Rappler Social Good Summit, where Amal announced the upcoming launch of a Philippine initiative aimed at giving Filipino women and journalists greater access to legal aid and counsel.

In her keynote speech, Amal emphasized how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to expand access to justice, noting the need for a more ‘laymanized’ and community-centered legal system. The project will form part of a global program spearheaded by the Clooney Foundation for Justice and the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice.

‘We hope to launch a similar partnership with the University of the Philippines College of Law so we can make sure that any journalist facing criminal charges does not do so in the shadows,’ Amal said. ‘The eyes and ears of the world should be in court, and pro bono legal support must be available to the journalists who need it.’

Beyond the announcement of the legal-aid program, Amal highlighted the role of the youth, saying she draws hope from young people who are unafraid to call out injustice and use their voices for good. She stressed that this makes it all the more urgent to protect the rights of those who speak up.

In a conversation with Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, George Clooney shared that he and Amal held a ‘productive conversation’ on Friday with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., centered on the importance of press freedom and ensuring that journalists have a platform to speak freely.

Amal also appealed directly to President Marcos Jr. to create a safer environment for journalists, underscoring that a free press is essential to any functioning democracy. She closed the discussion with a message of solidarity to Ressa: ‘We look forward to returning and celebrating your freedom.’

The Clooneys expressed eagerness to return to the Philippines, describing their visit as ‘productive and accommodating’ to their advocacies.

Their session left a powerful message: Journalists deserve the same protections afforded to business leaders, lawyers, and public officials. They should not face imprisonment for crimes they did not commit, nor should journalism ever be treated as a crime.

The keynote marked a compelling and impactful opening to the Social Good Summit 2025, setting the tone for a conversation on justice, technology, and safeguarding democratic freedoms.