LENTE gives entertainment journalists a stronger voice and protection

LENTE guild launches to safeguard rights, promote ethical coverage, and professionalize entertainment journalism nationwide.

“Entertainment reporters are film workers who deserve respect and acknowledgment. But most importantly, protection for their labor rights and benefits.”

Thus said Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Director-General Paolo Villaluna, who expressed full support for the formation of the Philippine Entertainment Journalists Guild, also known as the League of Entertainment Narratives for Truth and Ethics (LENTE).

The guild’s eight inaugural officers were inducted by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday, September 13, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The ceremony coincided with the launch of Noel Ferrer’s latest book, “Level Up.”

LENTE seeks to elevate entertainment journalism by supporting and representing practitioners through ethical standards, continuing education, and mutual aid.

Professionalizing entertainment journalism

A non-stock, non-profit professional guild registered under Philippine law, LENTE aims to professionalize entertainment reporting, protect practitioners, and empower them to navigate an increasingly complex media landscape.

Its guiding values are reflected in the acronym LENTE: Linaw (Clarity), which prioritizes fact-checking and context over clickbait; Etika (Ethics), which puts integrity ahead of virality; Naratibo (Narrative), which values storytelling grounded in craftsmanship, humanity, and empathy; Tapat (Integrity), which calls for truthfulness toward sources, audiences, and colleagues; and Entertainment with respect, which recognizes entertainment as both culture and labor while respecting artists, industry workers, and audiences.

Ferrer, who writes for Malaya, serves as LENTE president, with The Philippine Star’s Nathalie Tomada as vice president. 

Robert Requintina of NewsCentral is secretary, while radar’s Marinel Cruz is treasurer and PEP’s Gerry Olea is auditor.

Cruz, Allan Policarpio of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Gorgy Rula of PEP/DzRH, and Allan Diones of Marites University will oversee the guild’s five standing committees: Ethics and Standards, Membership and Screening, Programs and Education, Welfare and Legal Defense, and Communications and Partnerships.

Villaluna emphasized that entertainment media professionals play an important role across the industry, from development and production to exhibition, marketing, and audience engagement.

“There are those who are asking: Are entertainment journalists considered film workers? Why would you accredit them? We at the Film Academy of the Philippines believe that cinema—the making of movies, TV, and TV commercials, as well as vertical cinema—is a vast ecosystem,” he said.

“It involves development, pre-production, production, exhibition, and marketing. All of that is sustained by the media and reporters. So, yes, entertainment reporters are film workers.”

Ferrer said the guild’s partnership with the FAP gives its advocacy greater weight.

“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,” he said.

Opening doors to new media

LENTE membership will open in January 2027 to traditional journalists as well as podcasters, vloggers, content creators, and other new media practitioners who have demonstrated at least two years of consistent, original, and ethical work in entertainment coverage.

The guild also plans to offer masterclasses, workshops, and mentorship programs, as well as legal support and a dedicated harassment response team.

Through these initiatives, LENTE aims to build a safer, more informed, and more connected community of entertainment journalists.

“With LENTE’s launch, Philippine entertainment journalism takes a definitive step towards a more ethical, empowered, and professional future—one where stories are told with clarity, integrity, and respect for all,” Ferrer said.

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