Rolling Stone Philippines Celebrates July 2025 Issue With Inaugural State of Affairs Event
Rolling Stone Philippines Celebrates July 2025 Issue With Inaugural State of Affairs Event
SINEGANG.ph published this press release sponsored by Rolling Stone Philippines. No staff writer participated in writing this article.
Rolling Stone Philippines celebrated the launch of its State of Affairs issue with the inaugural Rolling Stone Philippines: The State of Affairs with ZYN, a new platform for bold conversations with key figures in local art, film, mass media, policy, and education. The event not only sparked unfiltered dialogue on the forces shaping the Filipino identity today but also laid the groundwork for future discussions on the country’s shifting cultural, political, and social realities.
Held at Sine Pop in Cubao, Quezon City, The Rolling Stone Philippines: State of Affairs with ZYN featured two panels: The State of Culture, moderated by Rolling Stone Philippines Digital Editor Sai Versailles, with panelists Paolo Mercado (President and Founder, Creative Economy Council of the Philippines, Government and Culture), Dindin Araneta (Co-founder, Art Fair Philippines and Director of De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde Center for Campus Art), and David Guerrero (Creative Chairman, BBDO Guerrero); and The State of Film, moderated by Jose Javier Reyes (CEO and Chairman, Film Development Council of the Philippines), with panelists Jerrold Tarog (Director, Quezon), Pong Ignacio (Director of Photography, Quezon), and Daphne Chiu-Soon (Producer, Quezon).
Rolling Stone Philippines also extended the day’s discourse beyond the panel floor with special screenings of Baby Ruth Villarama’s documentary Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea (2024), and an exclusive 10-minute preview of Tarog’s upcoming historical drama Quezon (2025) ahead of its October 15 premiere.
“Rolling Stone Philippines: The State of Affairs is an initiative born from a need to do more than just cover events. We’re here to make sense of them, to contextualize the shifts we often feel before we can articulate them,” said Rolling Stone Philippines Chief of Editorial Content Jonty Cruz. “Timed with the release of this latest issue, this inaugural edition aims to cut through the noise and put fearless storytelling front and center, capturing the pulse of a country in motion.”
The State of Culture
The State of Culture panel unpacked how culture informs public discourse, empowers communities, and drives innovation in both physical and digital spaces. The panelists discussed the effects of national policy on the creative economy (and vice versa), the role of arts and humanities courses in national development, the implications of AI usage in arts and education, and how to approach the creative industry’s rapidly changing landscape.
De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde arts educator Araneta emphasized the urgency of aligning humanities courses with the shifting demands of society by reshaping curricula to address emerging creative industries and hiring teachers who “speak the language of both art and innovation.” What is essential is equipping students with the qualities to thrive in an evolving cultural sphere.
Araneta said, “A creative career isn’t just about technical skill. It’s about knowing your values, understanding your audience, and thinking about the kind of impact that you want to make.”
An Exclusive Screening of ‘Food Delivery’
Following the State of Culture panel, guests were treated to a special screening of the 2024 documentary Food Delivery: Fresh From the West Philippine Sea. Villarama subsequently took the floor to discuss her film, underscoring its role in spotlighting maritime injustices, amplifying the stories of those most affected by global conflict, and uniting the country in asserting its sovereignty.
“When there is a community standing together, we can do something about the West Philippine Sea,” Villarama said, “because there is no dispute. That sea is really ours.”
The State of Film With The Creators of ‘Quezon’
The day concluded with an exclusive first look at Quezon (2025) for guests and media. This was followed by the State of Film Panel featuring Quezon’s team. The discussion viewed Filipino cinema through the lens of Quezon, one of the most expensive films produced in the country’s history. The panelists explored Tarog’s Bayaniverse film series, the cultural and political weight of historical filmmaking, its role in shaping a nation’s collective memory, and the ongoing challenges of producing period pieces in the industry’s current landscape.
“Hopefully [Quezon] will start something — maybe another rebirth of Philippine cinema and the moviegoing experience,” said Tarog.
Championing Stories That Matter
“Today’s program underlines our commitment to sparking real, thought-provoking, and fearless dialogues,“ shared Rolling Stone Philippines Publisher Anne Bernisca.
With Rolling Stone Philippines: The State of Affairs with ZYN, Rolling Stone Philippines solidifies itself as a force molding the country’s cultural and social narratives and reaffirms its ongoing mission to spotlight the fearless voices and subcultures shaping the Filipino consciousness.
