IN THE MIX BY MIC DIAZ PRESENTS
CHAT WITH MIC
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VOL. 1 • ISSUE 7 • AUG 2 - AUG 8, 2026
Ogie Diaz & Mama Loi: Life in Showbiz Is a Two-Way Street
BY MIC DIAZ | PUBLISHER
CHAT WITH MIC Episode 76: Ogie Diaz and Mama Loi
After decades in Philippine entertainment, Ogie Diaz and Mama Loi know that staying relevant means learning how to evolve. On Chat with Mic, the popular Philippine showbiz personalities talked about their careers, handling criticism, responsible reporting and adapting to the rise of digital media. Ogie, who began his entertainment career in the 1980s, shared how he taught himself journalism and worked his way from reporter and editor to actor, talent manager, host and digital personality. Mama Loi’s path was equally unconventional, taking her from banking and event planning to costume design and eventually entertainment hosting. Together, they discussed the importance of research, credibility and fairness when reporting entertainment news. Behind the humor and banter of Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update is preparation, fact-checking and a conscious effort to present different sides of a story.
They also opened up about the partnership behind their success. For Ogie and Mama Loi, trust, respect, gratitude and knowing each other’s strengths have helped sustain a working relationship that began more than two decades ago. Their ability to evolve has helped them build a new generation of followers online while staying true to what they do best: delivering entertainment news in an entertaining way. Hairstyle & Make-Up by Nilo Cruz of NSC Beauty Salon Accessories by IDOL JEWELRY
DON’T MISS OUT!
Check out the full interview in Chat With Mic on the Mic Diaz Presents Youtube channel. New conversations every week on Chat With Mic Talk Show at Mic Diaz Presents Youtube Channel
2 • AUG 2 - AUG 8, 2026 • VOL. 1 • ISSUE 7
WWW.MICDIAZPRESENTS.COM • IN THE MIX WEEKLY
ART & CULTURE
From Pilita to BINIchella: 67 Years of OPM
BY ELESI
Those of us hooked on Original Pilipino Music (OPM) have always dreamed of the day our local narratives would resonate globally. I first fell in love with OPM during a 1985 APO Hiking Society concert. It was a musical extravaganza and a cleverly encoded rebellion. I felt firsthand how art could be resistance. But the dream of global recognition started much earlier. Brilliant artists chipped away at the glass ceiling for decades, starting with Pilita Corrales in 1959. She bravely championed recording in our native languages, paving the way for the milestones we see today. So why did it take 67 years to reach our generation's global tipping point? The answer lies in cultural authorship. Think of the Korean invention of Hangeul, an intuitive alphabet that gave people an accessible system to express themselves. Korea did the exact same thing for global music by inventing the modern pop matrix. Our Filipino musicians studied this highly efficient system. They mastered it and completely nativized it. By pouring our own soul, indigenous languages, and kapwa into that modern framework, they provided a vessel for our Filipino stories to shine luminously on their own terms.
“Authenticity is currency, and the world is buying.” - ELISEO ART “ELESI” SILVA We witnessed this magnificent alchemy in April 2026 when BINI officially launched Filipino Pop into the global stratosphere at Coachella. History has a poetic way of coming home. In May 1965, Larry Itliong stood in those exact Coachella fields leading a victorious labor revolution. He succeeded by uniting agricultural workers and speaking the diverse languages of our people. Fast forward 61 years, and eight young women reclaimed that same space. They transformed the salakot from a humble sun shield into a golden crown of global sovereignty, giving the world chills as they introduced themselves in Tagalog, Batangueño, Bisaya, Bicolano, and Ilocano. BINI proved that heritage is not a niche. Authenticity is currency, and the world is buying. When we stop trying to dilute who we are to fit a global mold, we unlock our innate genius. We are no longer the outliers. We are the main characters. By telling our stories unapologetically, we stop outsourcing our identity and start exporting our essence. That is true wealth, and the kind built to endure. FROM THE ARCHIVES
Originally published in In the Mix Magazine – Issue Zero: Founder's Edition. Never miss an issue of In the Mix Magazine (Quarterly) and In the Mix Weekly newsletter.
Pastries & Photo Cakes
943 N Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 680-1111 • @wonderbakeryla
Former actress Bunny Paras watching BINI
IN THE MIX WEEKLY • WWW.MICDIAZPRESENTS.COM
VOL. 1 • ISSUE 7 • AUG 2 - AUG 8, 2026 • 3
COMMUNITY
IAABE 2026 Connects Businesses Across Borders BY MIC DIAZ | PUBLISHER
Korean fashion show featuring Hanbok
Ronson Provido and associates of Carlton Group
Business leaders, entrepreneurs and organizations came together for the International Asian American Business Expo (IAABE) 2026, held August 7–8 at the Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach. Hosted by the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC), the event created opportunities for networking, trade, investment and international collaboration, with various businesses from the Filipino-American community among those participating and showcasing their products and services. Built around the theme “Gateway to American Markets,” IAABE also offered a colorful showcase of cultures. ASEAN delegations from various Southeast Asian consulates and their travel partners presented booths highlighting destinations and cultures across the region, while a Korean fashion show featuring traditional hanbok added another vibrant cultural element to the two-day expo.
Lally Parcon and Celete Monderin of FACCGLA
JFroy Pontivedra of Shang Properties
Richelle Magtanong of Pili Ani
Harlene Bautista of Every Flake Counts
Jae Park and associates from JPA Adjustors
Staff of Consulate of Cambodia
Representatives of Primerica
4 • AUG 2 - AUG 8, 2026 • VOL. 1 • ISSUE 7
WWW.MICDIAZPRESENTS.COM • IN THE MIX WEEKLY
ART & CULTURE
Afrobeats Bring Global Rhythms to Dance DTLA BY MIC DIAZ | PUBLISHER
Downtown Los Angeles came alive with the rhythms of Afrobeats on August 7 as The Music Center’s Dance DTLA returned to Jerry Moss Plaza for another night of music, movement and dancing under the stars. The free summer series invites Angelenos of all experience levels to learn a different dance style before the plaza turns into an open-air dance party. The Afrobeats edition featured a beginner-friendly lesson led by Kara KJ Wade, introducing dancers to movements influenced by West African dance, followed by music from TOMI TRIBE that kept the crowd moving throughout the evening. The energetic evening reflected the global popularity of Afrobeats while giving participants a chance to experience its movement and rhythms firsthand. Dancers of different ages and backgrounds filled the plaza for an evening of learning, dancing and connection. Now in its 22nd season, Dance DTLA continues to celebrate Los Angeles through dance styles from around the world. This summer’s lineup included Salsa, Reggaeton, Disco, Cumbia and Afrobeats, with Bollywood closing the 2026 series on August 14.
U P C O M I N G EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS
Every 1 s t Thursday of the Month
ArtNight DTLA, Spring St., Broadway and Grand Ave.
Every Friday this Summer!
• Barnsdall Friday Wine Nights, Barnsdall Art Park • Chinatown Summer Nights, Central Plaza, Chinatown • Dance DTLA, The Music Center, DTLA • KCRW Summer Friday Nights, various locations
Every Sunday
Smorgasburg, Row DTLA