New entertainment journalists’ guild LENTE focuses on welfare,dev’t
MANILA, Philippines — A new guild backed by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) and composed of veteran entertainment journalists has been established to help “elevate the profession by supporting and representing entertainment journalists through a strong framework of ethical standards, continuous learning and mutual aid.”
The Philippine Entertainment Journalists Guild, also known as the League of Entertainment Narratives for Truth and Ethics, or LENTE, aims to help “professionalize entertainment reporting, protect practitioners and empower them in an increasingly complex media landscape.”
The newly inducted officers are Noel Ferrer of Malaya, who serves as LENTE president; The Philippine STAR’s Nathalie Tomada, vice president; Robert Requintina of NewsCentral, secretary; Radar’s Marinel Cruz, treasurer and PEP’s Gerry Olea, auditor.
Meanwhile, Cruz, Allan Policarpio of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Gorgy Rula of PEP/DZRH and Allan Diones of Marites University will lead the guild’s five standing committees: Ethics and Standards, Membership and Screening, Programs and Education, Welfare and Legal Defense and Communications and Partnerships.
The officers were formally introduced during a public oath-taking ceremony led by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The ceremony was held alongside the launch of LEVEL-UP, a book by writer and LENTE member Ferrer.
FAP director general Paolo Villaluna expressed his full support for LENTE, saying that “entertainment journalists are film workers and important partners in strengthening and promoting the Philippine entertainment industry.”
“The growth of groups is healthy for our industry. LENTE was formed as a guild to address another need — to organize the press as workers and professionals and look after their collective welfare and rights. It’s about expanding the spaces where entertainment journalists can belong and be represented,” he said.
Ferrer emphasized that LENTE focuses on guild work, including the welfare, development, protection and collective action of entertainment press members.
“These press organizations serve different needs, so we should complement each other rather than compete,” he said.
“LENTE is our promise: to see showbiz clearly and to cover it with dignity. And with the FAP as our partner, that promise now has power, protection and a home. We know entertainment journalism isn’t always black and white, and that’s exactly why we need a better lens. LENTE hopes to champion Philippine entertainment by amplifying meaningful conversations —with kindness, context, and credibility.”
According to the media release, LENTE is a non-stock, non-profit professional guild officially registered under Philippine law.
The guild is guided by the values reflected in its acronym, LENTE: L – Linaw (Clarity): Committed to verifying information before publication and prioritizing context over clickbait; E – Etika (Ethics): Choosing integrity over virality, always upholding what is right; N – Naratibo (Narrative): Honoring storytelling with craftsmanship and humanity, seeking truth with empathy; T – Tapat (Integrity): Remaining truthful to sources, audiences and colleagues alike; and E – Entertainment with Respect: Covering entertainment as both culture and labor, respecting artists, workers and audiences.
LENTE membership will open in January 2027, welcoming not only traditional journalists but also podcasters, vloggers, content creators and new media practitioners who have demonstrated at least two years of consistent, original and ethical work in entertainment coverage.
The guild plans to offer masterclasses, workshops and mentorship programs, along with legal support and a dedicated harassment response team. Eyed before the year ends are a lab, lecture and yearbook. These initiatives hope to foster a safer, more knowledgeable and more connected community of entertainment journalists, said Ferrer.
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