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THERE is an interesting take on European history happening onscreen and this is the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her love affair and adventure with Franz Joseph of Austria. Bearing the title The Empress (its German title is Die Kaiserin), the tale is a push-and-pull between the grand and the intimate, with the depiction of the empire startling us with how miniscule sometimes the historical antecedents involving these grand personalities that once ruled the narratives of power and conquest in that part of the world.

The tale begins with a very young girl, an impulsive Sisi-the Bavarian Duchess, Elisabeth von Wittellsbach. She is pictured as tomboyish, a lover of horses, in contrast to her sister, the Duchess Helene, who is not only being groomed as the next Empress but is much willing to go through the challenge of being introduced to Franz Joseph of Austria.

As fate would have it, the young Sisi who much prefers to be addressed as Elisabeth sees Franz and is smitten and falls in love with the young man. Franz at this point has taken over the empire.

Ludovika travels with Helene and Elisabeth to Austria for the engagement. That day also happens to be the birthday of Franz and it is during this moment that he will announce his engagement with Helene. Without the knowledge of both their mother and Helene, Sisi and Franz have, more or less, found themselves liking each other. Indeed, during the birthday celebration, Franz announces who he will marry and it is Elisabeth, not Helene.

The wonder of it all is that there is no remorse on the part of Elisabeth; for the family of Elisabeth also, the complication did not last long-it just felt natural that, if the other daughter is not marrying the emperor, then the other one, if she is willing, can always be the empress.

What follows then is how Elisabeth tries to negotiate the court-its affairs and complexities. Along the way, characters like Johann Strauss, the great composer, make an appearance and in the soiree-which is more like a stag party before the wedding-even the mighty Franz Liszt regales the bacchanalia with his piano-playing.

I still have to complete viewing this spectacle of a drama. Handsomely photographed, The Empress is the kind of film that suffuses the screen with the splendor that we associate with desire and conquest. Emotions seem to run high and hot among these characters. Outside of Franz, the emperor, there is his brother Maximilian who, while wholly trusted by the brother, appears to teeter on the edge always of infidelity.

Empress Elisabeth herself is both a tough and a delicate character. Around her, there is the mother-in-law and other ladies-in-waiting who are, I am afraid, merely waiting for their chance to trick the young empress or, at least, expose her own frailties.

At certain points of the film, one gets this notion that only Elisabeth and Franz are the real human characters in this caper; the rest are cardboard characters straight out of illustrated comic magazines.

The Empress is created by Katharina Eyssen; it is written by Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik. It is directed by Katrin Gebbe and Florian Cossen.

Devrin Lingnau, a German actress of Turkish descent, plays Elisabeth; Philip Froissant is Franz of Austria.

Which brings me to another film-Wayward. It is a strange story about young people, which while on the surface it feels like it is reaching out to them, in the end it manages to alienate the very depiction of the said population.

The film centers on two good friends-one a dyslexic and another, for lack of a newer term, a juvenile delinquent. Abbie belongs to a rather comfortable family but a father who demands a lot from her; Leila finds comfort in being with Abbie. In Abbie’s home, Leila is sent away by her friend’s father who does not hide his discomfort about this friend’s wayward habits.

Many things are happening in this film. For one, the film opens with a runaway, a boy who escapes from what would turn out to be the very institution that Abbie’s parents would later bring their daughter to. As this daring escape was taking place, a couple was moving into a countryside home. As this couple is gradually introduced to us, we realized that the ‘man’ of the house is a transgender – a transman. It looks like they are moving back to the hometown of the wife-we describe her as, pardon the term, a real woman-to lead a ‘normal’ life, to start anew. Later in the scene, Leila herself would bring up the modifier ‘queer’ to address Alex, the husband of the young, pregnant woman.

In the town, Alex notices an odd behaviour in many of the residents of the town. One day, upon returning from running an errand for his wife, Alex finds Evelyn, the head of the Tall Pines Academy, an institution that keeps troubled young men and women, in their home.

Leila would soon find Abbie in Tall Pines and with the help of Alex, they would try to uncover the dark secrets of the town.

Mae Martin who plays the transgender policeman, created the series, which made Wayward a gripping if not messy mystery thriller about abandonment, isolation and identity.

Toni Colette’s performance in the film is a tour de force, even if in most part she was stealing the scene from what would have been quiet depictions of events. Her character has been described as committed. The two young actors are a find: Alyvia Alyn Lind as Leila and Sydney Topfliffe as Abbie.

The House of Representatives on Friday wrapped up plenary deliberations on the proposed ?6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026, hailing it as the ‘best and cleanest’ national budget that prioritizes programs aimed at directly uplifting the lives of Filipinos.

House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing assured the public that the chamber is committed to ensuring that the 2026 national budget remains people-centered, transparent, and accountable.

‘We will make sure-in the House of Representatives-that the 2026 budget will be responsive to the needs of the Filipino people, transparent, and clean,’ Suansing said.

The House concluded plenary deliberations on the 2026 budgets of government agencies just past midnight on Friday.

The House Minority Leader is expected to deliver the traditional turno en contra on the proposed 2026 national budget this Monday.

She stressed that the budget priorities reflect the urgent needs of the population, highlighting investments in education, agriculture, health, job creation, and livelihood programs.

‘Our goal is to make it a human-centered budget. That is why our priority is education, agriculture, health, job creation, and livelihood. We want to improve the quality of life of every Filipino. That is what we pray will be the result of the budget we will pass,’ she added.

Suansing also expressed confidence that the measure will gain full support from the chamber.

‘With the help of the whole House and the collective wisdom of all its members, I am confident that we will be able to pass the best budget for 2026-one that truly responds to the needs of our people,’ she said.

Suansing stressed that the budget is not merely a policy document but a ‘backbone of fiscal policy’ and a reflection of government priorities.

Despite these challenges, she said the 2026 spending plan is anchored on a sound macroeconomic framework crafted by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), projecting 6.0 to 7.0 percent GDP growth, inflation of 2.0 to 4.0 percent, a fiscal deficit of 5.3 percent of GDP, and a sustainable debt-to-GDP ratio of 61.8 percent by end-2026.

Suansing highlighted the redirection of ?255 billion initially earmarked for flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to essential services such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and social welfare. The DPWH’s allocation was reduced from ?881.3 billion to ?625.7 billion, while education received ?1.17 trillion, the largest in Philippine history. Healthcare will get ?409.8 billion plus an additional ?89.3 billion from realignments, and social welfare programs, including the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), will receive ?59.1 billion to help about 5.9 million Filipinos.

Agriculture is allocated ?284.13 billion, including ?41.09 billion for farm-to-market roads, irrigation, post-harvest facilities, and crop insurance. Under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk program, one million beneficiaries will receive ?7,000 each. Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment’s TUPAD program will be doubled to ?26.96 billion to assist 4.9 million displaced or disadvantaged workers.

The period of amendments and second reading approval will be on October 10.

In pushing for amendments, Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, wants the DPWH to cancel or re-price ?1.6 trillion worth of ongoing and planned projects. Leviste said this could save the government ?400 billion, which could be redirected to health and education programs next year. He cited the recent termination of a ?95.99-million flood control project in Lemery, Batangas, as an example of how DPWH can enforce cost efficiency under existing procurement laws.

Under the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) and DPWH contract rules, projects can be terminated ‘for convenience’ if they become economically, financially, or technically impractical-or unnecessary-due to changes in law or government policy, without penalty to the government. Contracts may also be terminated for unlawful acts, such as corruption, fraud, use of substandard materials, or collusive practices.

Leviste noted that the Lemery case demonstrates how DPWH can use these provisions.

‘After all the hearings and protests against corruption in DPWH, there are still over P1 trillion in ongoing projects and another P600 billion in upcoming projects that DPWH can act on,’ Leviste said.

Meanwhile, the House is expected to approve the 2026 General Appropriations Bill on third and final reading by Monday, October 13. Once passed, it will be transmitted to the Senate, after which a bicameral conference committee will reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions.

Sunasing said bicameral sessions will be public.

The 2026 national budget is 7.4 percent higher than the enacted FY 2025 budget of ?6.326 trillion and carries the theme ‘Agenda for Prosperity: Nurturing Future-Ready Generations to Achieve the Full Potential of the Nation.’ Anchored on the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, it aims to prioritize education, healthcare, social protection, and food security.

Speaking just past midnight on Friday, Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III lauded the collective effort that ensured the budget deliberations were both open and comprehensive.

‘Our people can be assured that our process will remain open and transparent,’ Dy assured. ‘When I was elected Speaker, I said we would ensure that every centavo allocated in the budget to every agency would match the needs of our people. We will continue to work together to pass an open, orderly, and clean budget.’

The ADB’s latest Asian Development Outlook is a useful reality check. Slowing global growth, trade tensions and domestic governance problems have combined to nudge the Philippines’ GDP forecast down-modestly for now, but with risks that could turn a small downgrade into a meaningful derailment.

First, the external shock is palpable. The ADB highlights higher US tariffs and broader trade uncertainty as a drag on advanced-economy demand that, in turn, bleeds into the Philippines’ export and investment prospects. The imposition of a 19 percent tariff on Philippine exports to the US raises costs for exporters, and make long-run planning harder for businesses. For an economy that relies on both merchandise exports and foreign investment, the new tariff environment elevates downside risk. It is therefore appropriate that forecasts were trimmed-and that the government treats the change as urgency to diversify markets, upgrade product competitiveness, and support exporters adjusting to higher trade costs.

Second, domestic vulnerabilities matter just as much-if not more. ADB singled out the controversy around flood-control projects as a ‘heightened risk.’ Corruption, contract mismanagement and politicized public works do more than erode public trust; they destroy capital, delay critical infrastructure, and raise the cost of borrowing and doing business. Infrastructure built poorly or stalled by scandal becomes a recurring liability: vulnerable communities remain exposed to flooding, budgetary resources are wasted, and the private sector loses confidence.

Third, the apparent resilience of domestic consumption is a double-edged sword. The ADB and other analysts note that household spending has supported growth amid benign inflation. That is welcome. But deeper inspection shows this consumption is increasingly credit-fueled: higher credit-card use and salary-based loans have helped maintain demand, yet ANZ Research’s warning that some of these practices are ‘unhealthy’ should not be dismissed. Consumption driven by increasing household debt-without significant investment in assets or productive ventures-can obscure fundamental weaknesses. When interest rates or employment conditions shift, the weak link will show up in defaults. Policymakers and regulators should allow domestic demand to support growth while promoting responsible lending, improving financial literacy, and incentivizing savings and productive investment.

Fourth, the inflation outlook allows for policy flexibility, enabling further monetary easing as ADB expects inflation to remain within the BSP target. The BSP has already reduced rates to support growth. However, given global volatility, rate cuts must be data-driven, and temporary support should be linked to structural reforms that ensure financial stability.

The recent ADB downgrade should sharpen political will across the executive, the legislature and watchdog institutions. The Philippines has the demand fundamentals and demographic tailwinds to achieve stronger, inclusive growth. But that path requires greater transparency, fiscal discipline, responsible credit expansion and a proactive diversification of trade and investment ties.

The forecast downgrade serves as a warning, not a verdict. Policymakers need to act swiftly and decisively-addressing corruption that harms infrastructure, safeguarding household finances, and preparing the economy to withstand external shocks. By taking these steps, the Philippines can maintain and enhance its growth potential. Failing to act could turn today’s modest downgrades into more significant losses in the future.

Vientiane, Laos – Hinatuan Mining Corporation – Taganaan (HMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC), has won the Best Practices in Distribution award at the 4th ASEAN Mineral Awards (AMA), held recently in Vientiane, Laos.

The AMA is a biennial event that recognizes excellence in mineral development across ASEAN, with a focus on sustainable practices, technological innovation, and responsible industry leadership.

This is the second recognition for HMC at the AMA. In 2023, the company was named 2nd runner-up in the same category during the ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

‘HMC’s continuous pursuit of excellence in distribution practices has solidified its position as a leader in the mining industry, further enhancing its reputation for corporate responsibility, efficiency, and sustainability,’ said NAC Senior Vice President and HMC Resident Mine Manager Francisco Aranes Jr.

HMC’s victory is the fourth AMA award earned by the NAC Group since the program’s launch in 2017. That year, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTN), another NAC subsidiary, won the top prize in the Best Practices in Minerals Mining category, and later secured runner-up honors at the 2nd AMA in Bangkok under the Metallic Mining category.

HMC – Taganaan is one of six mining subsidiaries of the NAC Group. It is situated on the Hinatuan Island in Barangay Talavera within the municipality of Taganaan, Surigao del Norte. It operates within the Surigal Mineral Reservation, focusing on the export of saprolite and limonite ore.

Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Laser Center under the Department of Dermatology on September 30, 2025, with a meaningful program in collaboration with Breast Imaging Center and Department of Psychiatry at the 8F Tower 2 Auditorium.

With the theme ‘Courage,’ the event honored patients facing skin and breast cancer, as well as those navigating mental health challenges, while paying tribute to the compassion and dedication of the hospital’s doctors, nurses, and staff.

In his opening remarks, Interim Co-President and CEO and Medical Director Saturnino P. Javier, MD, commended the cooperation among the Dermatology, Radiology, and Psychiatry Departments, emphasizing, ‘Unity and collaboration are highlighted by the several departments, and that has always been the flagship of Makati Medical Center-we collaborate at every important activity.’

The program featured Ryan Raymond Y. Bautista, MD, Head of the MakatiMed Wellness Center, who shared an overview of its services; Donna Marie L. Sarrosa, MD, Chairperson of the Department of Dermatology, who traced the history of laser dermatology and introduced Dermagraphix, the country’s first advanced skin cancer detection technology; and Julie Anne Patricia M. Songco, MD, who underscored the role of dermoscopy in early detection through her lecture ‘Dermo-scope: Zeroing in on Early Skin Cancer.’ Socio-civic leader Elizabeth Eder Zobel de Ayala also shared her advocacy for cancer prevention, followed by a message from broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano who expressed her appreciation for the hospital for the warmth and excellence she experienced in her every visit. Maria Luz Espinosa, MD highlighted the importance of imaging in breast cancer detection and Genevere Serna-Santos, MD recounted the history of the Breast Imaging Center. In line with Mental Health Awareness Month, Joaquim Gerardo L. Jurilla, MD, a second-year resident, presented on MakatiMed’s holistic approach to care, underscoring that healing goes beyond the physical.

The celebration culminated with ‘An Evening with Music and Advocacy’, starting with a surprise dance number from the LeBran dancers, a group of doctors. The event also featured OPM band Ben and Ben, whose music inspired hope, connection, and comfort among attendees.

Through this event, MakatiMed reaffirmed its mission to provide compassionate, innovative, and holistic care, supporting every patient’s journey to healing and wellness.

It’s a banner year for Alvin Aguilar.

The Bacolod City native and founder of Deftac Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Philippines earned four Coach of the Year awards at the SJJIF World Championships in recently Chiba, Japan-adding another milestone to his nearly 30-year coaching career.

Aguilar, who has led Deftac since 1996, was recognized as Best Coach in four categories: Gi Adults, NoGi Adults, Gi Kids, and NoGi Kids. His team’s strong performance, with the highest collective points and most champions in each division, secured the honors.

‘I’m incredibly proud to share that I received the Quadruple Coach of the Year Award at the SJJIF World Championships in Japan,’ Aguilar posted on Facebook.

He credited the achievement to the entire Deftac community.

‘This is the result of everyone’s effort-from our chapter heads and coaches to the supportive parents and, most importantly, our amazing students,’ Aguilar said. ‘While I may be the face of this award, it truly belongs to all of us.’

Aguilar also expressed gratitude to Sensei Xande Ribeiro and Saulo Ribeiro for their mentorship and inspiration.

The first homegrown Filipino Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Aguilar is also the founder of the Universal Reality Combat Championship. He described his team as not just a group to train with, but a family to fight for.

‘Here’s to greater things ahead for all of us,’ he said.

A BILL seeking to use blockchain technology to let the public track where taxes go and eliminate corruption will be sent to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. with a request for certification as urgent.

During the Senate Committee on Science and Technology’s public hearing on Thursday, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda said he will ask the President to certify Senate Bill (SB) No. 1330 or the proposed Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act as urgent.

This comes after Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, the principal author of the SB 1330, asked Aguda if he would propose to the President certifying the bill as urgent. The measure has suddenly gained urgency amid widespread dismay over how the national budget process has been distorted by politics and corruption. Advocates of blockchain use say it is the best technology for preventing corruption.

In his presentation, Aguda likened the blockchain to a public bulletin board and a GPS tracker, where the public can track how every peso of their taxes will be allocated and spent.

Once the front-facing interface is published, Aguda said this can be accessed through a portal, such as the eGov app, allowing anyone to verify a project’s cost and progress.

Blockchain can help fight corruption through its immutability, as government transactions recorded on the technology cannot be altered or erased, Aguda said, adding that it also promotes transparency by making anomalies easier to spot.

The technology will also empower citizens to access and verify information, while pressuring authorities to act swiftly on project implementation, Aguda added.

‘This will also increase our trust in the government because trust is built when we see each other eye to eye,’ Aguda said.

‘If you will ask me how fast, I think in one year if we really have the political will to do this because we have the technical capability,’ he added.

‘Decentralize public finance’

Meanwhile, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Maria Francesca M. Del Rosario said in the hearing that the government’s goal is to decentralize public finance.

Del Rosario said that putting the documents in the blockchain is easy, having adopted the technology in the DBM’s budgeting process.

This quarter, the DBM launched a production portal that records Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) and Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) as verifiable, on-chain entries in partnership with BayaniChain and ExakIT Services.

It is the country’s first blockchain-backed budget transparency platform, making records tamper-proof while allowing the public to inspect how funds are authorized and released.

While only the SAROs and NCAs are already on a blockchain, Aquino said it only shows the item and whether there is cash available.

‘To really be able to understand where the stealing of funds happens, we have to go to the contract and agency level,’ Aquino said, noting that the records are not with DBM but with the legislators and project proponents.

‘I think what you’re doing is definitely commendable. It’s a great first step. But to address our concern, we have to go to the agencies,’ he added.

Bam’s pitch

In his opening speech, Aquino said putting the national budget on the blockchain answers many concerns in the current system: where the budget process has been opaque, blockchain can make it transparent; where there are insertions and supposedly completed projects, the bidding, awarding and disbursement of funds can be observed in real time.

‘We expect many more solutions against corruption to be proposed, and we need to bring them together and study them in order to achieve the systemic change we are seeking. By no means is this the only solution, but many of us believe it can be one of the major answers to our problems,’ Aquino added.

Earthquake victims in some towns in northern Cebu province call for help as they battle rain, the cold weather at night and their desperate need for food while still waiting for relief goods to reach their area.

Arg De Real, a resident of Sitio Pandan, Barangay Mahawak in Medellin town, uploaded photos on Wednesday showing some of his family members and other evacuees sleeping under a blanket of transparent plastic to shield them from the rain.

De Real shared that there are currently an estimate of 400 families there who evacuated after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Cebu on Tuesday evening, September 30, 2025.

‘Duol ra man mi og dagat sad. Ni bakwit lang mi sa bukid [We are living near the sea. That’s why we evacuated here at the hilly area],’ he told BusinessMirror in an interview on Thursday.

Most of them, he shared, only brought plastic bags so they can use it to shield them from the rain while some were fortunate enough to have some tents.

Fear prevents them from going back their houses especially at night as the town continues to experience aftershocks.

They called on authorities to help them as they are running out of food to eat.

‘Untag hatagan tanan peru ug kamu mang hatag unaha tawn amoa kay murag dili kaabot sa amoa [We hope that everyone gets to receive it but if you can help us please prioritize us as we haven’t received any help yet],’ he added.

He emphasized that they currently need food, water to drink, and tents there.

Amidst the tragedy, De Real still keeps a positive mind saying they are all ‘good’.

Different photos spread all over social media where evacuees seek help in order for relief goods and aid to reach them.

An uploader also posted a photo of kids photographed along the highway in San Remigio town raising cardboards with the words printed, ‘Walay tarong kaon [Had not eaten well]’ and ‘Help us. More food, water’.

The Cebu Provincial Government reported they have sent 7,622 food packs to Medellin town and 300 food packs to San Remigio as of 5pm on Thursday, October 2, 2025.

This is apart from the water bottles and other relief items that were also sent there.

In a video interview by local station MyTV Cebu, Mayor Edwin Salimbangon said the quake left many residents traumatized that they opted to stay on the roadside and open fields.

Salimbangon said the town has received initial relief goods but it could only last up to two days.

The municipality has opened their Tourist Rest Area to serve as a 24/7 drop-off site for donations.

No permit needed to deliver aid

Private individuals and groups who wish to directly send their dontations to affected areas don’t need to get a permit.

The Cebu Provincial Government clarified this advising to ‘proceed with extra caution and remain vigilant’ since there are still aftershocks there.

‘Donations coursed through the Capitol will be received and recorded at the Command Center to ensure transparency, proper documentation, and accountability, and to guarantee that assistance reaches those in need.,’ the Cebu Provincial Government said in a statement.

THE contraction of the Philippine manufacturing sector in September is only a ‘cautionary signal’ as this only stemmed from ‘short-term’ challenges,’ according to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).

‘We in Peza remain positive despite the recent drop of the [Purchasing Manager’s Index] PMI for September, as we believe that this is more of a cautionary signal than a cause for alarm, stemming from short-term challenges rather than structural weaknesses,’ Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Thursday.

Citing survey reports, the Peza chief pointed to weaker domestic demand, fewer client orders, supply chain disruptions caused by weather, the impact of various policy shifts and the recent geopolitical movements as key contributors to the slowdown in the manufacturing sector.

He also noted that rising input costs continue to place pressure on manufacturers, prompting some firms to scale back orders or output.

Panga said while foreign demand remains stable, the lower local demand ‘weighs’ on overall performance of the manufacturing sector in the country.

‘For Peza, this underscores the importance of strengthening ecozone resilience against weather-related disruptions, ensuring stable and predictable policies that support manufacturers, and helping firms manage costs and diversify their markets,’ Panga told this newspaper.

Nevertheless, he said the investment promotion agency sees this trend as ‘temporary,’ pointing out that investments greenlighted by Peza this year reflect a ‘continued upward trajectory.’

On Wednesday, S and P Global Market Intelligence reported that the Philippines’ Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) score fell to 49.9 in September from the 50.8 in August.

‘While signaling just a fractional deterioration in the health of the manufacturing sector, this was only the third time in just over four years where the headline index has been in contraction territory,’ S and P Global said.

Data from Peza showed that it has approved P154.70 billion worth of investments in the January to September 2025 period, up 33.5 percent compared to the P115.87 billion approved in the nine-month period in 2024.

Panga also noted that the economic zones have been generating more interest as multinational corporations (MNCs) are setting their sets on ecozones for their offshore operations.

For one, the Peza chief said there are companies ‘shifting production out of China in favor of the Philippines to benefit from our lower tariff for exported goods to the US and EU as well as our most generous fiscal incentives package for investors across Asean.’

The agency also sees this development in the manufacturing sector ‘as an opportunity to step up coordination with government and industry partners so that our locators remain competitive, resilient and able to contribute to the Philippines’ positioning as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific.’

I have been watching Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival since it started in 2004, or 21 years ago, which was traditionally held annually at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and various cinemas.

However, for the past three years CCP was not the main festival venue because of its rehabilitation. It was held in alternative venues-Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in 2023, Ayala Mall by the Bay in 2024. It will run this year in Shangrila Edsa from October 3 to 12, 2025.

The CCP building closed its doors at the beginning of 2023 to undergo a three-year rehabilitation, including upgrades, safety improvements, and restoration efforts aimed at preserving the building’s historic and cultural significance. This rehabilitation is a critical part of CCP’s broader vision to transform the complex into a world-class cultural hub for both the arts community and the public. The rehabilitation is slated for completion in late 2026.

My passion in watching Cinemalaya films perhaps is an offshoot of my exposure to experimental films during my college years in the late ’80s and ’90s at the UP Diliman where I saw several highly sensitive and political films.

Some of the films I saw included Lino Brocka’s ‘Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag’ (1975) and ‘Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim’ (1985), Ishmael Bernal’s ‘Himala’ (1982), Mike de Leon’s ‘Sister Stella L.’ (1984), and Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s ‘Karnal’ (1984) and whose daring works portrayed revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism, and class division.

Although it did not win the Best film award in 2005, ‘Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros’ by fellow UP alumnus Auraeus Solito became one of the icons of indie films.

The so-called ‘indie films’ embody Cinemalaya’s vision: ‘The creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.’

The full-length section has only one set of films from 2005 to 2009 called New Breed, with another section added from 2010 to 2014 called Director’s Showcase. It reverted back to one set as the Main Competition since 2016. Only short films competed in 2015, 2020 and 2021.

‘Layag sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos’ is this year’s theme reflecting the festival’s decades of weathering every storm of its era.

Competing in this year’s Full Length Films category are:

‘Bloom where you are planted’ by Noni Abao: Three land rights activists contend with their volatile notions of home amid terror and red-tagging in Cagayan Valley.

‘Child No. 82′ (Son of boy kana) by Tim Rone Villanueva: At a wake, a persevering high school student must prove that he is the 82nd child of the Philippines’ biggest action-fantasy movie star in the hopes of seeing his late father one last time.

‘Cinemartyrs’ by Sari Dalena: Recreating forgotten massacres from Philippine history, a young filmmaker begins shooting at a site where 1,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered. But the angry spirits are awakened and the lives of her team and the local villagers are put in peril.

‘Habang nilalamon ng hydra ang kasaysayan’ by Dustin Celestino: Four Filipinos confront the slow erasure of memory and truth in a country devoured by disinformation.

‘Open endings’ by Nigel Santos: Four queer women in their 30s who are exes-turned-best-friends navigate adulthood, love, friendship, chosen families, and everything in between.

‘Padamlágan’ (night light) by Jenn Romano: Five days before the proclamation of Martial Law, the Colgante Bridge collapsed in Naga, forcing a father into a desperate search for his missing son.

‘Paglilitis’ by Cheska Marfori: Years after experiencing sexual harassment at her workplace, a former executive assistant is persuaded by a passionate lawyer to file a case against her rich and highly respected boss.

‘Raging’ by Ryan Machado: A young man’s quest for truth and justice intertwines with a plane crash mystery, uncovering a sinister plot that propels his desire to be heard but also threatens his community.

‘Republika ng pipolipinas’ by Renei Dimla: When the local government threatens to evict her from her own land, a farmer renounces her Filipino citizenship and builds her own micronation.

‘Warla’ by Kevin Alambra Kitkat: a 19-year-old transgender woman finds the family she’s been longing for in a gang of sisters who kidnap foreign men to fund their gender-affirming surgeries, until their crimes force her to question the true cost of belonging.

Competing in the Short Films Category are ‘Ascension from the Office Cubicle’ by Hannah Silvestre; ‘Figat’ by Handiong Kapuno; ‘Hasang’ by Daniel de la Cruz; ‘I’m Best Left Inside My Head’ by Elian Idioma; ‘Kay Basta Angkarabo Yay Bagay Ibat Ha Langit’ by Marie Estela Pais; ‘Kung Tugnaw ang Kaidalman Sang Lawod’ by Seth Andrew Blanca; ‘Please Keep This Copy’ by Miguel Lorenzo Peralta; ‘Radikals’ by Arvin Belarmino; ‘The Next 24 Hours’ by Carl Joseph Papa and ‘Water Sports’ by Whammy Alcazaren.