The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. In the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which are broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Philippines is bounded by the South China Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the south. It shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north, Japan to the northeast, Palau to the east and southeast, Indonesia to the south, Malaysia to the southwest, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest. It is the world's twelfth-most-populous country, with diverse ethnicities and cultures. Manila is the country's capital, and its most populated city is Quezon City. Both are within Metro Manila.
Francisco Sionil José was a Filipino writer who was one of the most widely read in the English language. A National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, which was bestowed upon him in 2001, José's novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society. His works—written in English—have been translated into 28 languages, including Korean, Indonesian, Czech, Russian, Latvian, Ukrainian and Dutch. He was often considered the leading Filipino candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Juan R. Francisco is a Filipino Indologist who first published an English translation of the Maranao version of the Ramayana epic. He is also a professor at the University of the Philippines in Manila. For several years he served as the Executive Director of the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF), administering the Fulbright Program in the Philippines.
Juan Bautista H. Alegre III, known professionally as Johnny Alegre, is a jazz guitarist and composer from Manila, Philippines. He leads the jazz group Johnny Alegre Affinity and the world music group Humanfolk.
DWIZ is a radio station owned and operated by Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, a subsidiary of the ALC Group of Companies. It serves as the flagship station of the DWIZ network, which was established in late January 2023. The station's studio is located at the 20th Floor, Citystate Centre, 709 Shaw Boulevard, Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig, and its transmitter is located along Osmeña St., Brgy. Pag-Asa, Obando, Bulacan.
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez is a Filipino singer and actress. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and belting technique. She had unorthodox voice training during her childhood, where she was immersed neck-deep in the sea. Velasquez rose to prominence after winning the television talent show Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984 and the Asia Pacific Singing Contest in 1989. Under the name Chona, she signed a recording contract with OctoArts International in 1986 and released the single "Love Me Again", which was commercially unsuccessful. The following year, she adopted the stage name Regine Velasquez for her debut studio album, Regine (1987), under the guidance of Viva Records executive Vic del Rosario and producer Ronnie Henares. She explored Manila sound and kundiman genres on her second and third studio albums, Nineteen 90 (1990) and Tagala Talaga (1991).
Gerard Imutan Salonga is a Filipino musical conductor, composer, and arranger. From 2012 to 2020, he was the music director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, assistant conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 2016 to 2018, and from 2019 to the present the resident conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
Herminio Jose Lualhati "Ogie" Alcasid Jr. is a Filipino actor, singer, songwriter, comedian, director and producer. He is best known for his songwriting and collaboration with other musical artists. He has appeared in films and television shows, notably as a cast member of Tropang Trumpo (1994–1995) and Bubble Gang (1995–2013), and a host and main performer of SOP (1997–2010) and ASAP (2017–present). He is currently married to Regine Velasquez, with whom he has one child.
Aliw Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is a Philippine broadcasting company. Its corporate office and studios are located at the 20th floor of Citystate Centre, 709 Shaw Blvd., Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig. It is one of the broadcast media assets of the ALC Group of Companies, alongside RPN and Nine Media. Aliw operates a number of radio stations under the Home Radio & DWIZ brands, as well as its only digital television and cable channel, ALIW Channel 23.
Lisa Teresita Pacheco Macuja-Elizalde is a Filipino prima ballerina. In 1984, she became the first foreign soloist to ever join the Kirov Ballet. In the Philippines, she is the Artistic Director and CEO of Ballet Manila and was the Vice-Chairman of the Philippine UNESCO National Commission. She was also the Commissioner of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. Macuja-Elizalde is also Directress and faculty member of the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet – a training center for ballet professionals who are steeped in the Russian Vaganova method. She is also the founder of Project Ballet Futures (PBF) - an internationally recognized community scholarship program that provides training and performance opportunities for deserving public school students.
Sergio Garcia is a Filipino former actor and dancer. He was a member of teen singing and dance group Anim-E.
Maria Josefina Albert known as Joey Albert is a Filipino singer, songwriter, and lyricist. An alumna of St. Theresa's College Manila and Assumption College San Lorenzo, she began her professional singing career in 1981. In 1982, she was proclaimed winner of the Dream Girl Filipina contest on The Party, a television program hosted by Ariel Ureta over the now-defunct Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation. Albert became a member of The New Minstrels, a popular Philippine show band during the 1970s and the 1980s. Apart from Albert, The New Minstrels also produced many other outstanding Filipino musical artists.
Ernani Joson Cuenco was a Filipino composer, film scorer, musical director, music teacher and Philippine National Artist for Music. He wrote an outstanding and memorable body of works that resonate with the Filipino sense of musicality and which embody an ingenious voice that raises the aesthetic dimensions of contemporary Filipino music. Cuenco played with the Filipino Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Manila Symphony Orchestra from 1960 to 1968, and the Manila Chamber Soloists from 1966 to 1970. He completed a music degree in piano and cello from the University of Santo Tomas where he also taught for decades until his death in 1988.
Nonoy Zuñiga is a Filipino singer, actor, host, influencer, environment and PWD Advocate, television presenter and physician. Dubbed as the "Philippines' King of Pop Ballads" he released his debut album Ako Ay Ikaw Rin in 1981. It was both a critical and commercial success, reaching double Platinum in the Philippines and won "Album of the Year" at the Awit Awards & Cecille Awards. Also Aliw Award's "Entertainer of the Year"
Gerphil Geraldine Flores is a German-Filipino classical crossover singer. In 2015, she joined the inaugural season of Asia's Got Talent, where she finished as second runner-up. A soprano, she was dubbed "Asia's Golden Girl."
Oliver Aquino is a Filipino actor, singer and dancer.
Mico Aytona is a Filipino actor, singer and dancer.
Beverly Salviejo is a Filipino singer, actress and comedian.
