The Virgin Labfest XXI: Hubo’t Hubad unwraps the human soul with 12 ‘virgin’ scripts

 

The Virgin Labfest (VLF) officially comes of age in its 21st edition, stripping down all pretense of innocence while showcasing the bold Filipino voice and spirit. As it nurtures emerging and established playwrights, directors, actors, and designers, it revels in the artistic and creative desires expressed through fearless storytelling.

Guided by the theme Hubo’t Hubad, this year’s VLF reflects on the many ways people reveal themselves. It invites audiences to engage with works that expose layers of identity, memory, and vulnerability.

Offering a deeper understanding of the human experience, the country’s theater festival of untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays returns with 12 “virgin” scripts this June 3 to 28, 2026, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).

Unrestrained tales of the human experience

Featuring new works by eight “virgin” playwrights and four returning playwrights, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD elaborates on the unbridled truths of humanity’s essence after blooming into a passionate community of untold narratives over the last two decades.

Anthony Kim Vergara’s PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 centers on Blackteam, an underground cyberspace operation disguised as a technical support center. With his cousin leading the team’s troubling methods, the lead character questions his chosen path as a cybersecurity expert and as a Filipino.

A reporter is about to receive an international award in HUMAN RIGHTS STORY OF THE YEAR by Elijah Felice Rosales. At her farewell party, a former colleague declares she does not deserve the recognition.

PATAYIN ANG MGA SUROT by Floyd Scott Tiogangco occurs on the last night of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency. While an Oplan Tokhang operation unfolds, tension builds as a couple conducts their own extermination of bedbugs.

A wounded fighter stumbles into a small Marawi hospital in Neil Arkhe Azcuna’s BALOS. Because of his arrival, four medical workers must decide between staying silent to save lives and speaking up to risk everyone’s refuge.

In Alab Usman’s HARAM, three queer Muslims struggle to manage faith and love across borders and barriers.

A former nun turned Philosophy professor and Gab Mactal’s LUALHATI meet again. Their memories of faith and romance emerge on the last night of the wake held at the Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn convent.

Dustin Celestino’s ELEHIYA is an impressionistic montage of conversations of fathers and sons that could have taken place but did not.

A former womanizer meets the love of his life in SHE’S ELECTRIC by Ron Evangelista. However, his friends make a discovery that leads to an insightful discussion on the sexual and philosophical nature of relationships.

Faith Ferrer Lacanlale’s BETAMAX follows a woman who begins to see “human pigs” after a minor road accident. As she ascends to madness, the darkness surrounding her family is brought to light.

A grieving family turns back time with a virtual archive of memories in FOOTPRINT by JEROM CANLAS. While they scramble to make sense of a tragedy, their unspoken feelings inflict a much harsher truth.

Set in Tarlac, two strangers uncover an unexpected connection by exchanging tales of love and disappointment within the walls of a rage booth in John Lapus’ TAKSYAPO!. 

Gerald Manuel’s BUHAGHAG follows a young lady who is haunted by a long-haired enigma that corners her into choosing between self-preservation and self-destruction.

In addition to the new plays, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD revisits three stories from last year’s edition: Ade Valenzona’s POLAR COORDINATES, Rolin Cadallo Obina’s THE LATE MR. REAL, and Siege Malvar’s PRESIDENTIAL SUITE #2.

Valenzona’s POLAR COORDINATES follows a confused student after he fails his Math exam. With the fate of his fragile family and strange feelings for his tutor piling on, he struggles to carve his own path.

Obina’s THE LATE MR. REAL takes place in an isolation facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a wall separating them, an estranged couple reexamines the clashing views that led to their marriage’s failure.

A senator is accused of money laundering in Malvar’s PRESIDENTIAL SUITE #2. While she recovers from a heart attack, her children rally for the best course of action to salvage their reputations.

Peeling off innocence and refining raw talent

True to its core of celebrating both budding and veteran playwrights, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD continues to nourish its garden of talent through its educational components: Staged Readings, Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase, Theater Talks, and Playwrights’ Fair.

Script submissions from VLFXXI come to life through stripped-down reading performances in Staged Readings. Jose Victor Torres’ MGA TATSULOK, M. Manalastas’ THE DEVOURED, Dingdong Novenario’s MANANG, Rafael Jimenez’s SUOR, Juan Ekis’ KASAL(ANAN), and Jay Fernandez’s ANG HULI take the stage.

The VLF Writing Fellowship Program, a two-week mentorship on dramatic writing for the stage headed by award-winning playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas, culminates in a thrilling showcase. The Taiwan International Play Reading Festival (TIPR) will also hold a special staged reading of Ihot Sinlay Cihek’s HOW ROMANTIC: A GUIDE TO MODERN PANGCAH LIFE, alongside the National Art Centre’s PRISON DANCER.

A forum series on the creative processes behind theater, Theater Talks will feature TIPR with speaker Cheng-Han Wu. Jin Yim and Cui Yin Mok of the Asian Producers’ Platform share their insights, together with Shizuoka Performing Arts Center’s Takuya Maehara.

Meanwhile, VLF founder and Palanca-awardee Rody Vera, Liza Magtoto, and Glenn Sevilla Mas host Playwrights’ Fair, peeking into the minds of veteran playwrights. Guest speakers Tanya Lopez, Dessa Quesada-Palm, and Sari Saysay explore the essence of Visayan theater, herstories, and settings in the nation’s current artistic landscape.

Uncovering new narratives charged with immense thirst for artistry, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD shows are scheduled at 2 p.m. matinee and 8 p.m. gala, while its educational components are slated at 5 p.m. from June 3 to 28, 2026. Tickets are priced at Php800 (regular) and Php1000 (premium), available for purchase at the CCP Box Office and Ticket World.

For more updates on the festival schedule and ticket-selling, visit the official pages of VLF, CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc., and Writers’ Bloc across Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Mang Inasal Spicy Pork BBQ is here to stay

 

Mang Inasal, the Philippines’ Grill Expert, has made the Spicy Pork BBQ a regular menu item in all its over 600 stores nationwide, effective May 1. 

 

Available for dine-in, take out, drive thru, and delivery, the Spicy Pork BBQ is the latest addition to Mang Inasal’s line of hot, savory dishes that include the Spicy Chicken Inasal Paa and Pecho.

“The Mang Inasal Spicy Pork BBQ was initially intended as a limited time offer. But we acknowledge that a specific segment of our customers often ask for the spicy versions of our Ihaw-Sarap bestsellers,” said Mang Inasal president Mike V. Castro. “For them, it is not enough to simply dip their food in siling labuyo-infused toyomansi and chicken oil sawsawan. They crave the spicy kick that our expertly grilled meat offers which they enjoy with unli rice and unli sabaw.”

The Mang Inasal Spicy Pork BBQ is available as a rice meal with two-sticks. It may also be enjoyed in Family Size with 10 sticks or Party Size with 20 sticks. 

Want more Mang Inasal exclusives NOW? Visit https://manginasal.ph for the latest news, https://manginasaldelivery.com.ph for delivery deals, and follow Mang Inasal on social media for more Ihaw-Sarap and Unli-Saya updates!

CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art showcases Filipino food artistry in celebration of Filipino Food Month this April

 With its diverse and rich flavors rooted in indigenous cultures and influences, Filipino cuisine reflects the country’s history and abundant culture. From iconic savory dishes to regional fares,

Filipino food offers not only to satiate hunger but also tells the story of local ingredients and family traditions.

Beyond its taste, the preparation and presentation of every dish highlights the overall appeal of Filipino cuisine and adds visual depth and storytelling. It shows that Filipinos do not just cook food but they do it to show care and express their hospitality.

Filipino food goes far beyond simple nourishment. It reflects a deep sense of creativity and artistry that appears at every stage of the culinary experience: from preparation to plating.

Cooking involves skillful techniques and balanced flavors, often adapted with resourcefulness. Serving styles, like communal meals on banana leaves, emphasize culture and connection. The presentation is vibrant and carefully arranged, making dishes visually appealing as well as delicious.

In celebration of Filipino Food Month this April, the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (CCP EPA) showcases and promotes the rich Philippine cuisine while also emphasizing how they shape our national and cultural identity and open conversations on its sustainability and conservation.

Do you know your Filipino dishes and local ingredients, as well as their cooking processes and more? Learn more about them through CCP EPA’s comprehensive article on Food Art.

FRUITS AND RELISHES

Relishes and desserts are mostly the preferred mediums for food art since they can be prepared in advance, offering more time for creating designs. A good example is achara, it’s a pickle relish made of grated unripe papaya and other vegetables like cucumber and bell pepper. Its textures and colors are ideal for carving various shapes, figures, and even small scenes, which are then arranged in glass jars to create decorative displays. The natural colors of the ingredients provide many ways for them to express their artistry through arranging these relishes.

Pan de San Nicolas (Photo courtesy of Nicanor G. Tiongson)

Mayumo, the Pampango word for sweet, is a food art from San Miguel de Mayumo in Bulacan.

They preserve different kinds of fruits, mainly suha (pomelo), dayap (lime), kundol (wax gourd), etc. They are carved with decorative patterns before being put in jars for display.

In some provinces, like Laguna, creativity is shown differently, such as stuffing limes with coconut jelly, adding both visual and textural contrast to the dessert.

KAKANIN

The arrangements and packaging of kakanin is another medium for food art. One of the most popular ways of arranging kakanin is by serving it in bilao (flat baskets) which highlights its patterns and colorful visuals. Puto and kutsinta, for instance, are steamed in bamboo tubes or molds, made in different sizes and colors, and arranged in bilao when served.

Other kakanin like suman, ibus, tupig, tamales, and puso also highlight the creativity of wrapping using materials such as coconut fronds, banana leaves, and nipa leaves. For example, suman sa ibus is mostly wrapped in pale young coconut fronds, while in Obando, Bulacan, darker fronds are woven into small triangular baskets.

Tupig from Ilocos is both decorative and practical, commonly enjoyed during holidays or cockpits. In Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, they have puso also known as “hanging rice” encased in woven coconut leaves shaped into portable pouches, with various regional names like balisungsong, lambay, patupat, and tamu.

PASTILLAS

The famous pastillas de leche, sweets made from carabao milk and sugar from San Miguel de Mayumo, are also known for its pabalat (wrappings), made of multicolored thin paper, called papel de japon. They are cut into stars, leaves, flowers, palm leaves and branches, letters and other designs.

Pabalat or pastillas wrappers of papel de japon, Nicanor G. Tiongson Collection

Pabalat artist Luz Mendoza Ocampo uses patterns she personally designed, such as the so-called Maria Clara motif, tinikling, pounding rice grains, nipa hut, birds, and various flowers. She traces the pattern into layers of papel de hapon using a pencil, and then cuts the paper using a cuticle scissor.

Other pabalat artists prefer the freestyle method without using any patterns or drawings by cutting a folded paper freehand. The pabalat tradition in Bulacan is usually practiced by women. Well-known pabalat artists are Amparo Pengson, Rosa David, Nene Pineda, Luz Reyes, and Teresita Ramos.

COOKIES AND BREADS

In Pampanga, during feast day of San Nicolas, cookies designed in his iconography are sold outside churches. Meanwhile, in Bago City, Negros Occidental, alfajor cookies are also popular amongst migrant families from Panay who settled there in the 1920s. The cookies are made of rice flour and sugar then pressed into wooden molds showcasing various designs including symbols like USAFFE and Boy Scouts insignias, flowers, etc. They are typically cooked by being sun-dried.

Animal-shaped bread from Domalaon Bakery, Antipolo City (Photo by Kiko del Rosario)

Breads also serve as an ideal medium for creative food art. In Silay, Negros Occidental, empanadas are meticulously fluted in a milles feuilles style, while in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, panaras are crafted with pinched edges and distinctive patterns. The shaping of tortas reales and castillos, sweets influenced by Spanish heritage, continues alongside more modern cake decorations inspired by American traditions. In Antipolo, Rizal, one bakery is popular for making bread into playful shapes, including lobsters, pigs, turtles, and crocodiles, showcasing a unique form of food artistry.

Shopee Philippines and PNP Eastern Police District Sign MOU to Empower Police Families Through E-Commerce

 

Shopee Philippines and the Philippine National Police-Eastern Police District (PNP-EPD) have formalized a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at helping the families of police personnel build sustainable livelihoods through e-commerce. The collaboration brings Shopee’s flagship digital skills training initiative, the Tatak Pinoy program, directly to PNP, equipping police families with the tools and knowledge to start and grow online businesses.

The MOU reflects a shared commitment to the financial well-being of the men and women who serve on the front lines of public safety. Under this initiative, which PNP-EPD has named “Love at First Click: Negosyong Online para sa Pamilyang Pulis,” police families will be equipped with the digital skills and practical knowledge they need to establish and grow their online businesses through e-commerce.

"We have always believed that e-commerce can be a powerful equalizer and that belief extends beyond the marketplace," said Jack Ng, Head of Commercial, Shopee Philippines. Through this partnership with PNP Eastern Police District, we want to give the families of our police personnel the same opportunities we are bringing to entrepreneurs across the country: real, practical skills that can help them build businesses and improve their quality of life."

The Shopee Tatak Pinoy MSME Roadshow, which has trained over 700 MSME sellers across 10 cities since 2025, will serve as the foundation of the collaboration. Police families will have access to hands-on training in online store setup, digital marketing, order fulfillment, and customer engagement. This is the same curriculum that has helped entrepreneurs transition from informal businesses to thriving online stores.

"Our partnership with Shopee reflects our belief that supporting our personnel goes beyond the badge. The PNP Eastern Police District has always been committed not only to the safety of our communities, but to the well-being of the men and women who protect them—and the families who stand behind them," said PNP-EPD Police Brigadier General Aden Lagradante. “When we give our personnel's families access to real livelihood opportunities, we are investing in their future and strengthening the foundation of our organization from within."

The partnership underscores Shopee's broader mission to build an inclusive digital economy, one that reaches not just traditional entrepreneurs but communities that stand to benefit most from access to e- commerce tools and training. As the Tatak Pinoy Roadshow continues its nationwide expansion, Shopee remains committed to finding new ways to bring digital opportunities to more Filipinos.

Araneta City nurtures stray cat welfare through “CoMEOWnity”

 

Araneta City deepens its commitment to kindness and shared responsibility through launching of “CoMEOWnity”, a citywide initiative aimed to protect, care, and uplift the lives of stray cats. Introduced under Araneta City’s Pet Pals program, the campaign recognizes stray cats not as passersby, but as cherished City-zens of the City of Firsts’ vibrant community.

“CoMEOWnity brings together our valued partners, patrons, cat lovers, and everyone who shares a deep compassion for stray cats,” said Marjorie Go, VP for Marketing of Araneta City, Inc. “Through this initiative, we hope to create a city where every stray cat feels safe, respected, and cared for.”

Guided by its vision of creating an inclusive environment, “CoMEOWnity” focuses on everyday acts of care—regular feeding, safe shelter, medical attention, and thoughtfully designed adoption drives—ensuring that stray cats are treated with dignity and compassion.

Done in partnership with Pet Kingdom, CARA Welfare Philippines, City Cats Cubao, and Cats of Araneta City, the program reflects a shared effort to make animal welfare a fundamental part of city living. “CoMEOWnity” is also dedicated to the memory of the late Filipina chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés, whose lifelong affection for cats—especially strays—continues to inspire acts of kindness.

Among the program’s key initiatives is a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) effort in partnership with CARA Welfare Philippines, ensuring humane and sustainable management of the stray cat population. Rescued cats are housed at the Araneta City cattery, where they receive regular meals, veterinary care, and ongoing attention, supported by sponsored cat food and essential supplies.

Beyond rescue, “CoMEOWnity” opens doors to second chances through its adoption drives, helping match stray cats with loving individuals and families. During its first-ever cat adoption event held on April 12 at Ali Mall, all rescued and neutered cats successfully found new homes, proving how community involvement can transform lives.

Through this initiative, the City of Firsts continues to build an inclusive space that safeguards the health and well-being of stray cats. It also actively engages tenants, employees, residents, and partner organizations in shaping a city that is not only a destination for culture and entertainment, but also a model of humane urban living.

“Through programs like CoMEOWnity, we are in the high hopes that it will encourage greater awareness and shared responsibility toward stray cats,” said Marjorie Go. “Compassion and empathy are at the heart of who we are—and through them, we affirm our responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves.”

For more information about Araneta City’s “CoMEOWnity,” visit its official Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/comeownity.