Shaina Magdayao And JC De Vera's Adaptation Of "Florante And Laura" At Busan Won't Do Much IF Failipino First Policy Continues

Recently, I realized that Shaina Magdayao and JC de Vera (who starred in The Worse Half by ABiaS-CBN) are starring in a Florante at Laura 2026 adaptation. The trailer debuted in South Korea. So yeah, Pinoy Pride, right? Honestly though, part of my reason for reacting right now was waking up to the newsfeed Nana confirmed she was dating Choi Seung Hyun aka TOP some time ago. However, my tiredness almost made me think Shaina, not Nana, was dating TOP!

The official trailer for "Ang Florante at Laura ni Balagtas," with the English title “Florante and Laura," has been launched at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan, South Korea and is now available on Facebook and YouTube in the Philippines.

Under the campaign theme "Love, our last revolution," the film adaptation of Filipino poet Francisco Balagtas' classic piece invites audiences to rediscover a story of love, betrayal, and the courage to overcome division.

Produced by the FEAST Foundation, the film stars JC de Vera as Florante and Shaina Magdayao as Laura, with Royce Cabrera as Aladin, Gillian Vicencio as Flerida, Kristof Garcia as Minandro, and Brian Sy as Adolfo. Alvin Yapan wrote and directed the film.

For decades, "Florante and Laura" has been taught in classrooms and textbooks. This adaptation brings its emotional conflicts to the big screen, connecting the familiar literary work with questions that are still relevant today: who can we trust, what do we fight for, and can compassion survive in a world shaped by hatred?

The story's central theme is love, which refuses to give in to power, prejudice, or despair in a world still divided by faith, identity, and greed for power. The trailer launch introduces that vision to a global audience while also giving viewers at home a first look.

Film buyers, distributors, sales agents, festival programmers, and media attending ACFM are invited to visit Booth F14 for the film's debut and to speak with the team.

I thought about ABiaS-CBN's participation in the Busan International Film Festival last 2022. The ABiaS-CBN fantards can yell and brag, "PENOY PRAYD!" Kim Chiu winning means NOTHING if ABiaS-CBN still won't support constitutional reforms. This isn't me SHOOTING DOWN or saying, "Basta Filipino, masama agad!" in the spirit of colonial mentality. Instead, this is me addressing the issue that shouting PENOY PRAYD is useless if Filipinos are still TOO SCARED OF FDI. 

Do I need to mention the stupid statement of Richard "Lucifer" Hoydurian about KDramas are as "world-class" as Korean dramas? I even joked that Lucifer was watching K-dramas, thinking that ABS-CBN stars were taking roles there. Right now, I even wonder if "Lucifer" thinks that rapper TOP is dating Shaina, not Nana. I even think he probably watched some KDramas and thought Nana was Shaina, Jeon Yeo Bin was Angel Locsin, Kim Yoo Jung (not Kim JO Yung) was Alex Gonzaga, etc. 

I'd say if the Florante and Laura projects get attention then GOOD. However, that shouldn't be an excuse for the Philippines to keep insisting on the Failipino First Policy.