Director Paul Basinillo leads ‘gawang Pinoy’ Eurovision debut on global stage

All-Filipino creative crew pulls off historic live spectacle as Carmelle Collado secures spot for Thailand finals.

The Philippines has stepped into the Eurovision spotlight with its inaugural Selection Night for Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026, putting Filipino music and production on an international stage.

Leading the high-stakes debut was concert-turned-TV director Paul Basinillo, who transformed 10 competing entries into a polished live television spectacle.

For Basinillo, the milestone was deeply personal after years of watching and studying Eurovision’s staging and production.

“For me, this is what makes the experience so meaningful. I watched Eurovision when I was starting my career. This time, I was part of creating it,” Paul Basinillo told radar Entertainment.

ABS-CBN and Star Music tasked Basinillo with turning each song into a distinct live performance, working closely with artists, composers, choreographers and fellow directors. With the show airing worldwide, every staging change and transition had to be executed with precision.

“We worked closely with the artists, interpreters and composers to understand each song and build its staging. The challenge was making every number unique while changing sets and resetting the stage in very little time because we were live and airing worldwide,” he said.

Months of creative meetings, rehearsals and technical planning went into the production. The team, led by Roxy Liquigan, continued working despite floods and a typhoon, determined to meet the demands of the country’s Eurovision debut.

“We knew we had a very high bar to meet, but the entire Filipino team rose to the challenge,” Basinillo said.

He also credited the directing and creative team, including Direk Jon Moll for television direction, as well as the writers, musicians, stylists, choreographers, designers, lighting, LED, technical and camera teams who helped bring the production to life.

Basinillo likewise praised host Vice Ganda for helping give the selection night the scale and energy of a major television event.

“Vice brought the energy, humor, spontaneity and star power that made the night feel like a major television event,” he said.

The successful launch ultimately culminated in Carmelle Collado being chosen as the Philippines’ first representative to the Eurovision Song Contest Asia.

Collado won the inaugural selection with “Sobra-Sobra (Too Much),” a song written by Nica del Rosario and Mat Olavides. She edged out nine other finalists, with the results determined by 40 percent professional jury votes, 40 percent Filipino public votes and 20 percent international votes.

SAGA finished second with “Broken Beyond Repair,” while JM Dela Cerna and Marielle Montellano placed third with “Mapadama.”

Collado will carry the Philippine flag to Bangkok, Thailand, for the Eurovision Song Contest Asia on November 14.

For Basinillo, however, the accomplishment goes beyond the selection of one winning artist. The night demonstrated the scale and creativity Filipino production teams can bring to an international platform.

“I am especially proud that this was an all Filipino creative and production effort,” he said.

“It is a dream come true and an honor to be part of Eurovision history with such an incredible Filipino team. Success belongs to all of us.”

That sense of collective pride was echoed by judge Louie Ocampo during the competition with his simple but powerful declaration: “Proud kasi gawang Pinoy!”

With the first Philippine Selection Night now successfully staged, the country’s Eurovision journey has begun—not only with a new representative, but with a Filipino production team proving it can rise to the demands of a global music stage.

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