Arts & Culture

5 Filipino Films That Continue the Conversation on Women Empowerment

Filipino feminist films everyone, in all genders, should revisit.

It took many centuries to achieve the kind of freedom we have now. Contrary to popular belief that women are weak, it is known that women took a significant part in shaping the ideology on bravery and empowerment.

During the pre-colonial era, tribesmen and communities turned to women for war advice and blessings. Cross-dressing was encouraged and, of course, communities seemed to believe no gender roles, since they accepted other genders on the spectrum, as well.

Babaylans were also treated with respect as priestesses or religious practitioners, healers, and mediators in the tribe. Through time, especially during Spanish colonization, women’s role in the society gradually changed; the Spanish imposed ideologies of conservatism and patriarchy.

But time is also the only proof that with its tides of changes, women’s roles in the society are unique in a way that women became flexible, empowered and sincere. From being powerful leaders in tribes during the pre-colonial era until today’s adapting and thriving to smash the patriarchy, women’s parts to play is no doubt impossible to neglect.

Here are five Filipino feminist films everyone, in all genders, should revisit.

INSIANG (1976)

Photo Credits to Cine Material: https://www.cinematerial.com/movies/insiang-i77740/p/oy2prxqz

Starting the character off as a timid innocent girl, Insiang was set to live her life in the slums where her sexuality was used against her, especially by her mother.

Insiang is played by Hilda Koronel. Her character takes us back to the historical meaning of being a woman. The film also portrays different societal issues like poverty and patriarchy. Because of the series of hardships she experienced, Insiang then learned how to use her gender and bravery.

Lino Brocka’s masterpiece shows us that a woman being brave isn’t wrong.

BATA, BATA PA’NO KA GINAWA? (1988)

Photo credits to TFC TV: http://tfc.tv/episode/details/41031/bata-bata-paano-ka-ginawa-2016

Chito Roňo, as always, restores our hope in Philippine cinema. Although this film has been published decades ago, the issue of women empowerment tackled is still relatable until today.

Played by Vilma Santos, Lea Bustamante shares the importance of women in the family building. Challenged by society’s patriarchal system, Lea plays the role of being a working mother, who has two children she raised alone.

Altogether, Lea shows how society views womanhood, motherhood, and parenthood.

DIE BEAUTIFUL (2016)

Photo Credits to IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6186430/mediaviewer/rm3387360512

Trisha’s story—like many trans women, struggled being accepted by her family and society. This film takes us back to the reason why people love and how a certain person, though discriminated, chose to show love to everyone she met.

Die Beautiful, directed by Jun Robles Lana, also shows how a trans woman became a mother and at the same time, fulfilled her dreams to become a beauty queen.

Trisha, played by Paolo Ballesteros, inspired many with her positivity, vibrancy and determination to become a woman she wanted to be.

KA ORYANG (2011)

Photo Credits to IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2097285/

Set during the Martial Law in 1970’s, Ka Oryang is a film that speaks about women’s part during these dark times. Ka Oryang is directed by Sari Lluch Dalena. Oryang, played by Alessandra de Rosi, is a student of the University of the Philippines who has been exposed to immersions in the countryside.

She became a medical volunteer that helped wounded fighters where she met Ka Noli, played by Joem Bascon, who became her boyfriend. Ka Oryang also discusses other societal issues during the Marcos era.

The film appeals to the audience by portraying women’s sufferings to protect men who were imprisoned by the military. This film will also take our minds off the typical women definition that women should be prim and proper.

SAKALING HINDI MAKARATING (2016)

Photo Credits to Nood: http://www.nood.ph/sakaling-hindi-makarating-review/

Another Alessandra movie takes our mind into traveling around the country. Cielo, Alessandra’s character, nurses her heavy and broken heart after a break-up. Postcards kept coming into her doors with artworks attached with each. She felt the love of the unknown author and decided to travel with the postcards as her guide.

This movie shares how a certain woman, just like many us, thirsts for love and self-love. Human as we are, love breaks us but finding ourselves will help us know ourselves better.

Sakaling Hindi Makarating also depicts that there are circumstances beyond our control and that each road of uncertainty is a taste of learning.

These films of different times show that women empowerment never stopped thriving.

Time will tell the story of how things have changed, but women empowerment and their role in the community development until today is never-changing. In fact, women’s struggles and fearlessness, as a microcosm to bigger societal issues, are continually discussed in modern times through films.

Related Topics:Feminism Feminist Films Filipino Films Women Empowerment

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Arts & Culture

Art Beat: Scenes From the Manila Art Fair 2026

photography by Doro Barandino

“Art is unpredictable and goes in different directions. I have no idea. I would rather live the present moment.” —Bencab, National artist of the Philippines.

Vinta by Protegeri, collaboration art piece by Leeroy New, Solenn Heuseff and Vito Selma

Q&A with interior decorator and jewellery designer Doro Barandino

Which of the participating art galleries had the most unified and exciting theme?
Leon Gallery had the most amazingly put-together collection. Though the gallery engaged various artists, the overall visual effect felt like one unified theme. Leon Gallery used a sack-like cloth (most likely raw linen) as the background for the booth, and it brought the collection together. It had an old-world feel in a chaotic setting.

Who were the artists that were the most visually engaging?
The works of Carlo Tanseco were definitely my favorite. The artist used an eye chart (Snellen chart) as the background for the image of Dr. Jose Rizal giving us the middle finger—such an “in your face” message. The concept of our national hero as a modern-day provocateur was a wake-up call to everyone. Very subversive and underground material. I was also attracted to the works of Japanese artist Tadashi Kogure; they’re very architectural.

Was the choice of venue and its layout helpful in engaging the whole art vibe?
What I noticed was that the masters like Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, and Fernando Zóbel still attracted the most viewers at the art fair. People are naturally drawn to their masterful strokes and historical significance, or perhaps these artworks are not readily accessible for public viewing. Or maybe those booths that carried the masters’ works were strategically positioned right after the registrar.

The choice of venue at Center One was a good move—it created a total art vibe. Manila Art Fair remains the premier art fair in the country today, showcasing the finest modern and contemporary art while offering curated projects and immersive installations.

The Standard by Thai artist Pitchapa at the Triangular durational, performance art.

Bato Bato sa Langit by Filipino artist Carlo Tanseco

Stocking Proportions Menumpuk Proporsi by Indonesian artist Labadiou Piko

Untitled by Indonesian artist Yunizar

Filipiny, wool tapestry by national artist of the Philippines,Federico Aguilar Alcuaz.

Untitled by German artist Valentin Elias Renner

Interior decorator and jewellery designer Doro Barandino is also a regular contributor for zee.ph

Arts & Culture

Visayas Art Fair Year 5: Infinite Perspectives, Unbound Creativity

by Jing Ramos

This year’s Visayas Art Fair marks its 5th anniversary, celebrating the theme “Infinite Perspectives: Unbound Creativity.” The fair continues its mission of bridging creativity, culture, and community in the country. This milestone edition strengthens its partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and expands collaborations with regional art organizations and collectives—reinforcing its role as a unifying platform for Philippine art.

VAF5 features the works of Gil Francis Maningo, honoring the mastery of his gold leaf technique on opulent portraits of the Visayan muse Carmela, reflecting spiritual awareness.

Gil Francis Maningo is celebrated for his gold leaf technique.

Gil Francis Maningo’s recurring theme of his Visayan muse “Carmela”.

Another featured artist is Danny Rayos del Sol, whose religious iconography of Marian-inspired portraits offers a profound meditation on the sacred and the sublime. This collaboration between two visual artists sparks a dialogue on the Visayan spirit of creativity and resilience. Titled “Pasinaya,” this dual showcase explores gold leaf as a medium of light and transcendence.

Artist Danny Reyes del Sol

Danny Reyes del Sol’s religious iconography.

Now in its fifth year, the Visayas Art Fair has influenced a community of artists, gallerists, brokers, collectors, museum curators, and art critics—constructing a narrative that shapes how we approach and understand the artist and his work. This combination of factors, destined for popular consumption, illustrates the ways in which art and current culture have found common ground in a milieu enriched by the promise of increased revenue and the growing value of artworks.

Laurie Boquiren, Chairman of the Visayas Art Fair, elaborates on the theme, expressing a vision that celebrates the boundless imagination of unique artistic voices:

“Infinite Perspectives speaks of the countless ways artists see, interpret, and transform the world around them—reminding us that creativity knows no single point of view. Unbound Creativity embodies freedom from convention and controlled expression, allowing every artist to explore and experiment without borders.”

Laurie Boquiren, Chairman of the Visayas Art Fair has tirelessly championed the creative arts for the past five years.

Arts & Culture

Kultura. Kapital. Kasalukuyan: Art that Speaks of Today

by Jose Carlos G. Campos, Board of Trustees National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently teamed up to prove that money isn’t just for counting—it’s also for curating! Their latest joint exhibition, Kultura. Kapital. Kasalukuyan: Contemporary Art from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Collection, is now open, and it’s a real treat for art lovers and culture buffs alike.

On display are gems from the BSP’s contemporary art collection, including masterpieces by National Artist Benedicto Cabrera (Bencab), along with works by Onib Olmedo, Brenda Fajardo, Antipas Delotavo, Edgar Talusan Fernandez, and many more. Some of the artists even showed up in person—Charlie Co, Junyee, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Demi Padua, Joey Cobcobo, Leonard Aguinaldo, Gerardo Tan, Melvin Culaba—while others sent their family representatives, like Mayumi Habulan and Jeudi Garibay. Talk about art running in the family!

Deputy Governor General of the BSP, Berna Romulo Puyat

Chairman of NMP, Andoni Aboitiz

The BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. and members of the Monetary Board joined the event, alongside former BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., Ms. Tess Espenilla (wife of the late Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr.), and the ever-graceful former Central Bank Governor Jaime C. Laya, who gave a short but enlightening talk about the BSP art collection.

From the NMP, Chairman Andoni Aboitiz, Director-General Jeremy Barns, and fellow trustees NCCA Chairman Victorino Mapa Manalo, Carlo Ebeo, and Jose Carlos Garcia-Campos also graced the occasion. Chairman Aboitiz expressed gratitude to the BSP for renewing its partnership, calling the exhibition a shining example of how financial institutions can also enrich our cultural wealth.

Former Governor of BSP Jaime Laya

Governor of BSP Eli M. Remona and Chairman of NMP Board Andoni Aboitiz

Artist Charlie Co

Before the official launch, a special media preview was held on 5 August, hosted by BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and DG Jeremy Barns. It gave lucky guests a sneak peek at the collection—because sometimes, even art likes to play “hard to get.”

The exhibition Kultura. Kapital. Kasalukuyan will run until November 2027 at Galleries XVIII and XIX, 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts. Doors are open daily, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. So if you’re looking for something enriching that won’t hurt your wallet (admission is free!), this is your sign to visit. After all, the best kind of interest is cultural interest.