Hong Kong public broadcaster cancels LGBTQ radio show

A radio show promoting LGBTQ equality will end its 17-year run at Hong Kong's public broadcaster on Sunday, with station management citing "changes in the program" as the reason for cancellation.

The axing of We Are Family comes after Beijing crushed Hong Kong's democracy movement and imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020, which critics say has fractured civil society and silenced dissent.

Program co-host Brian Leung said he was "mentally prepared" for the show to be dropped at the government-funded Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), but was not given a satisfactory explanation when meeting with station management earlier this month.

"For a traditional platform like RTHK, this program was more or less walking a tightrope," Leung told AFP in an interview hours before the final show.

Featuring a mix of chitchat, news, and guest interviews, the show was a rare platform that advocated gay rights in the Chinese city and its 2006 debut broke the mold at the public broadcaster.

Partly inspired by the success of Oscarwinning film Brokeback Mountain, the show in its early days enjoyed editorial freedom "to an extent I found almost hard to believe," Leung recalled. The show, which aired for two hours every

Sunday at midnight, made use of the broadcaster's wide reach to present LGBTQ content as "something fun, light-hearted and interesting", Leung said.

An episode about the high school bullying of LGBTQ teens won a Human Rights Press Award in 2010, while other episodes sparked discussion on topics such as drag culture and discrimination faced by transgender people.

“Being able to host this sort of program at a public broadcaster is itself a statement. If we can talk about homosexuality, sexual orientation on RTHK every week, that means... it's not taboo,” Leung said.

RTHK told AFP that it reviews its programming strategies from time to time and does not comment on internal editorial matters.

Hong Kong has seen a steady rise in support for same-sex marriage, especially among younger residents. A survey this year found that 60 percent of Hong Kongers supported same-sex marriage, compared to just 38 percent a decade ago.

But the city's Beijing-approved leadership has shown little appetite for passing laws that advance LGBTQ equality.

Most recently, Hong Kong's top court is processing a challenge against the city's restrictive marriage laws brought by activist Jimmy Sham, who is among a group of opposition figures on trial for subversion. AFP perfor- as National Artist for Film) directed movie, one of the Philippines’s national treasures, the late, great Eddie Garcia, was Santos’s aging and affluent husband. Montano gives his Cenon authority, gravitas with old-school refinement and sensibilities. The fact that Cesar seasons handsomely is a plus factor. somely is a plus factor. and relation ship forced. mance because one sees and feels the development and dra-

In the television series adaptation, Helen and Rod start as high school academic rivals but eventually become young sweethearts. They share a dream of creating their own architectural and engineering firm, building their dream house, and living happily ever after together.

Both Reyes and Marco bring emotional truth and commitment to the portrayals of their respective characters. We see the development of Helen and Rod, they are convincing as high school rivals turned sweethearts, totally plausible as college lovers carrying their set of domestic problems, and relatable as they cling and hold on to a long-distance love affair that ended because of Gumabao’s Rod resolve that the relationship no longers works. The separation devastates Cristine’s Helen.

How Cenon became a part of the lives of Helen at Rod is the most novel part of the TV series. The manner and heightening of the bond, friendship, and eventually relationship between Helen and Rod is not forced. There is no denying that audiences will be curious about the show and make it a viewing habit because the weaving and the unfolding of the narrative is top-notch, the cinematography and overall look of the TV drama is glossy and sleek, a commendable supporting cast and the truthful fashion and emotional integrity that Cristine, Marco and Cesar immersed and invested to Helen, Rod, and Cenon make them a trio of genuine people Minsan Pa Nating Hagkan Ang Nakaraan is a blast from the past and a throwback kind of love that spells wonderful and worth watching TV adaptation. The series airs Monday to Friday on TV 5, with encore telecasts every day at 8:00 p.m. on Sari Sari Channel, available on CIGNAL TV. SatLite Channel 3 and Cignal Play.

Reyes delivers a knock-out and intelligent perfor mance because one sees and feels the development and growth of her character. Her quiet moments and dra matic highlights show the emotional investment and honesty she gives to Helen.

Some of her best scenes include the father and daughter segments, the heartfelt dedication to make the LDR work, and the desolation of the heart when a tragedy happens because of a wrong choice and decision. To all that come about in the life of Helen, Cristine makes it all authentic.

The camera loves Gumabao in this TV series, the way it captures his handsomeness is perfect. One can count his many fan service moments. What is remarkable about Marco’s portrayal of Rod, he infuses it with a dose of hopeless romantic, and together we can make it happen and work vibes, and there is no faking in this presentation of the conflicts and turmoil that an ambitious dreamer like Rod encounters.

The reel and real sweethearts share a passionate and tastefully done and executed love scene. As they do the blocked and rehearsed tender moment, the love they share is palpable and pulsates and the look of love in their eyes are most evident.

Another major attraction of this TV adaptation is Cesar Montano who acts as Cenon. In the Marilou Diaz Abaya (posthumously declared

‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ takes final bow after record-breaking run

ALL good things must come to an end, even the well-loved musical masterpiece that struck a chord in the hearts of many Filipinos.

Thunderous standing ovations, cheers, and tears filled the night as Ang Huling El Bimbo (AHEB) performed its final show. The curtain came down on Sunday ending the sweet joyride of the longest-running Filipino musical staged by Newport World Resorts.

“The musical ended on a high note and part of me sees this as a new beginning for a much bigger world of live theater. We are all witnesses of how Ang Huling El Bimbo, a musical performed by Filipino artists, and proudly made by Filipino creatives, can thrive in this generation and beyond. We end this show full of gratitude to everyone who joined us on this joyride,” Full House Theater Company CoArtistic Director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo said amid the final show celebration with the cast, crew, creatives who helped make the musical phenomenal.

Newport World Resorts President and CEO Kingson Sian thanked audiences for their support. This year’s run cemented its icon status in the landscape of Philippine theater, emerging as the most-watched musical to date.

In all its incarnations, the award-winning Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) served as the venue, where audiences witnessed a grand showcase of Filipino spectacle.

“Thank you so much for coming out today and supporting our original Filipino musical. Tonight is our last show and we have done 175 shows since 2018. Reaching a fourth run, over 240,000 people have watched this show live right here in this theater. During the pandemic, another 7 million watched it in their homes around the world, raising 12 million pesos for COVID relief,” Sian says.

Making this farewell more triumphant was the appreciation given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) during the exclusive celebration of Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino across the property. NPAT received a plaque of appreciation for being a partner of the NCCA in promoting original Filipino music and artists.

With the finale leaving a hole in the hearts of many, one can only wonder what comes next for the grand NPAT stage. During curtain call, in an unexpected turn of events, the cast sang a snippet of the heart-tugging love song

“Harana” made popular by one of the coun- try’s most cherished rock bands. The giant screen behind flashed an animation of a guitar, a slice of pizza, two bottles, and a bird, with the words “Abangan 2024”. All these hinting audiences about the new musical coming up next year. As AHEB bids its farewell after a long run, another chapter opens for live theater, and the anticipation for a new original Filipino masterpiece begins again.

During its