Swardspeak, a term coined by Nestor U. Torre in the 70s, is an argot or cant slang often based in Taglish (Tagalog-English), although sometimes on other Philippine languages, and Philippine and Global pop culture, spoken mostly by the queer community in the Philippines before becoming mainstream through media. This language is often compared to Polari, a similar argot language from the queer community that's spoken in the United Kingdom, and popularized several slang terms now found in casual English like "camp" or "butch".
Sometimes known colloquially as beki, bekimon, or bekinese, the argot was created by members of the community as an in-group jargon often to differentiate members of the in-group from members from the out-group due to the marginalization that the Filipino queer community experiences within the country. Because of the queer community's reach within the entertainment industry, however, from theater to major blockbuster movies, swardspeak is one of the largest contributors to modern Filipino slang with non-members of the queer community being able to mostly understand someone who speaks it or fully speak in the argot themselves.
Because one can create a fully swardspeak sentence with little intelligibility from most Philippine languages unless someone has some knowledge with current pop media or has been exposed to swardspeak at a regular basis, however, there's been an argument that had been made that swardspeak can be considered its own language.
Below is an example of different Swardspeak/Beki Words spoken in popular movies that stars popular Filipino transfem nonbinary comedian, tv host, and actor Vice Ganda:
Here's some other videos by other members of the community as well that showcases swardspeak:
There's also many online dictionaries that showcase the use of the argot some of which I will list here:
Bekimon: Language and Slang
BEKINARY - The Bekimon Dictionary
Gay/Beki Language Collections
References:
ABS-CBN Star Cinema. (2021, May 2). Gay Lingo Tutorial by Vice Ganda | Stop, Look, and List It! [video]. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ9ghINHqws
Beki Mon. (2011, April 30). Bekimon 101 - The Bekimon Tutorial [video]. Retrived on June 16, 2026, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6fOIM4xRo
Catacutan, S. (2013). Swardspeak: A Queer Perspective. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338677861_Swardspeak_A_Queer_Perspective
Dumaual, M. (2021, July 2). He or she? Either, Vice Ganda says, in viral explanation of gender identity. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/07/02/21/he-or-she-either-vice-ganda-says-in-viral-explanation-of-gender-identity
feetlow. (2009, July 5). Gay / Beki Lingo Collections. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://hoowanted.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/gay-lingo-collections/
Man, S. (n.d.). Bekimon Language and Slang Meanings. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.scribd.com/doc/72789268/Bekimon-Dictionary
Pasia, J. (2011, March 6). BEKINARY - The Bekimon Dictionary. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.scribd.com/document/583770506/BEKINARY
"Polari, the secret gay language: 7 words we still use & 6 we should bring back". (n.d.). Out. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.out.com/media/polari-secret-gay-language-explained-words-list-definitions
Quimosing-Ocay, A. & Ocampo, D. (2023). Decoding Gay Lingo: A Morpho-Socilinguistic Analysis of Swardspeak Among College Students. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://publisher.unimas.my/ojs/index.php/ILS/article/view/5850
ulols. (2015, August 22). Gay Weather Teaches Bekinese [video]. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXIdowIKQMc
"Vice Ganda". (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved on June 16, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_Ganda
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Created this recreation of the partially-lost Sarimanok color logo from the 1960s-1970s as it would've appeared on TVs. Not perfect, but could be close enough to the real thing.
This is another variant of the image I made with a filter. This is how I imagine it may've looked like on color TVs of that era.
This is the Beigoma Academy Beyclub Team from Beyblade Burst. The Beigoma Academy Beyclub Team is composed of 6 actors, Luis Manzano, Matteo Guidicelli, Sam Milby, DingDong Dantes, Rocco Nacino and Enchong Dee who portrayed the characters Valt Aoi, Shu Kurenai, Rantaro Kiyama, Ken Midori, Daigo Kurogami and Wakiya Murasaki. Before Beyblade Burst started airing on TV5 in 2013, Luis Manzano, Matteo Guidicelli, DingDong Dantes and Enchong Dee moved to TV5 in 2010. Eventually, Sam Milby will be taking over the voice of Rantaro Kiyama but unfortunately, He took over the voice of Naruto Uzumaki in the Naruto series in 2013. Due to this, He moved to TV5 in 2005. After Beyblade Burst God ended in May 3, 2015 on TV5, DingDong Dantes and Rocco Nacino left TV5 in 2015. Although, Sam Milby will be staying on TV5 where he will retake the voice of Naruto Uzumaki when Naruto: Shippuden starts airing on TV5 in 2015. When Beyblade Burst Sparking aired on TV5 in 2017, Rocco Nacino returned to TV5 in 2017. Luckily, Dominic Roco and his younger brother Felix Roco returned to TV5 as well. Somehow, Dominic Roco, Felix Roco and Rocco Nacino’s contracts to TV5 will expire in March 31, 2018. Sadly, DingDong Dantes wasn’t able to come back to TV5. Instead, Edgar Allan Guzman takes over the voice of Ken Midori in 2019. Luckily, Dominic Roco and Felix Roco both took over the roles of Rantaro Kiyama and his younger brother Ranjiro Kiyama. But Lance Serrano took over the voice of Ranzo Kiyama. Before the team was made, DingDong Dantes and Sam Milby were from the ABS-CBN sitcom show T.G.I.S with their friend Zoren Legaspi including Heart Evangelista, Erich Gonzales and Dimples Romana who are “The Powerpuff Girls”. But Luis Manzano and Matteo Guidicelli were from the PTV-4 sketch comedy show Ang TV when they started their acting careers as kids. Before they turned 15, They moved to ABS-CBN in 2000 and made a group with Xian Lim, Enchong Dee and DingDong Dantes which will be called “The Backstreet Boys”. Unfortunately, Luis Manzano, Xian Lim, Enchong Dee, Matteo Guidicelli and DingDong Dantes moved to GMA in 2005, but it was revealed that Luis Manzano is about to reunite with his father in The Medyo Late Night Show with Jojo A. because he moved to GMA in 2000. However, They later moved to TV5 in 2010 with Edu Manzano. But Rocco Nacino started his acting career on TV5 in 2005. DingDong Dantes was born in March 23, 1975 and was confirmed to be the eldest member of the team. He was known as “The Lucky Man” due to his good luck. Sam Milby was born in September 23, 1981. He was known as “The Ninja Rookie”. But in 2012, He became “The Ninja Master” in the finale of Juan dela Cruz. Luis Manzano was born in July 14, 1985 in Paris, France. He was known as “The Azure Superstar” but not like Arcee Muñoz who is known as “The Scarlet Superstar”. He is also known to be the best superstar in the world. He can speak in French, Filipino and English influently. Before he was "The Azure Superstar", He was known as "The Rockstar" because he dyed his hair red just like Arcee Muñoz. Somehow, He dyed his hair blue when he moved to GMA in 2005. But Ritz Azul dyed her hair blue before she moved to GMA in 2000. Matteo Guidicelli was born in August 31, 1985 in Venice, Italy. He was known as “The Crimson Devil”. He can speak in Italian, Filipino and English influently. He also suffers from ADHD which means if things don’t go on his way, he might go berserk and destroy everything. However, His therapist tells him to learn how to control his rage. Before he was “The Crimson Devil”, He was known as “Jack Frost” from the 2002 movie Frozen but with red hair just like Tuesday Vargas. But Matteo Guidicelli dyed his hair white when he moved to GMA in 2005. Rocco Nacino was born in October 31, 1985. He was known as “The Grim Reaper”. He was also known as “The King of Heavy Metal” just like Gary Valenciano. Enchong Dee was born in January 16, 1986 and was confirmed to be the youngest member of the team. He was also known as “The Violet Dragon”.
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Maloi wore this GANNI cable-knit wool cardigan during BINI’s performance for the ABS-CBN Christmas Special 2023. Blackpink’s Jennie was also seen wearing the same piece during the Born Pink World Tour soundcheck in Hong Kong. 💞
THIS JUST IN: Nickelodeon Animation Studio axes out for Glitch Techs after Season 3 [#RadyoBanderaEXCLUSIVE]
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- A televised streaming web series of Glitch Techs was reportedly axed out and later shelved for a final 3rd season in a first week of September 2022.
In a deleted tweet from an individual show creator named Dan Milano, both animation studios between Nickelodeon and Netflix loses its interest for a cartoon show, which is due to Standard and Practices issue per Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and for retrenchments of animation employees: "I'm afraid Nickelodeon has no interest in continuing the series".
Eric Robles publicly releases a never-before-seen single end page in magazine issue of "Glitch Techs Manual" where the Season 3 is currently in production and in pending for an episode release. Unreleased images and a storyboard video with a following in-development titles: "Return to Castlestein", "BITT 2", "Tower Defense" and "Mobs and Minions".
A source told exclusively to Radyo Bandera as based from a deleted Twitter post and a magazine issue, the final 3rd season becomes a digital lost media, which may lead into a serious issue per targeted demographic audience and partially inappropriate for kids on Netflix. The animation industry is in severe crisis in all of the indie cartoon show as of this writing.
Paramount Plus opens its pitching doors to renew the said production of Season 3 where the netizens are petitioning to save the show or losing to defeat its attention. ABS-CBN Corporation possibly co-produce a cartoon show as integrated with Netflix and Nickelodeon Asia under a content license agreement if A2Z and/or Kapamilya Channel will carry its rotation for a new episodes despite for a congressional franchise shutdown nationwide.
Streaming fans have suddenly worried for a cancellation at the end of Season 3 as the news broke on social media. Gamer duos of Hinobi Technology are in full support in Bailley City from its own indie cartoon show on Nickelodeon.
Both seasons 1 & 2 are now still available thru Netflix and for televised syndication as per one example of Kanade TV (which was now defunct in November 2021). Nickelodeon will not air on Cable Television in the United States of America (U.S.A.) with a respect of its streaming companies of Paramount Plus and Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
The final 3rd Season will soon slated in a few years from now, only on Netflix.
PHOTO COURTESY for REPRESENTATION: @LegitEricRobles via Twitter PHOTO
BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna
The Filipino fantaserye series, Mars Ravelo’s Darna, starring Jane De Leon, has been running for two weeks now on various ABS-CBN services, which is enough time to justify an initial review. After roughly a decade stuck in development hell in various forms, the main question has to be: is the new Darna worth the wait..?
The show is based on the legendary komiks superheroine, Darna, created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo in May 1950. Darna was heavily inspired by Fawcett Comics’ Captain (Shazam) Marvel -- a young girl, Narda, finds a magic stone that transforms her into an adult superhero. She uses her new powers to fight against a range of supernatural foes, chief among them a power hungry medusa named Valentina.
This isn’t the first time Darna has been filmed. Since the 1950s there’s been a steady stream of movies, and three television series (well, two and a bit!) based on the character. The last was in 2009 on the GMA Network, after which the rights were sold to rival ABS-CBN who hoped to produce a new movie. But plans kept falling through, and when it looked like filming might actually begin with Jane De Leon in the title role, a worldwide pandemic struck! Thankfully ABS-CBN quickly retooled the project to become a television fantaserye, and filming finally began at the end of 2021.
Like other fantaserye shows, the series runs five nights a week (yes five!), Monday to Friday at 8pm. Fantaserye (or telefantasya) is similar to the South American telenovela genre -- like daytime soap opera except with a fixed episode count and a proper finale episode that ties up all plots. Shows typically run over many months, racking up dozens of episodes, sometimes well over one hundred.
Darma launched in mid-August, broadcast on cable channels in the Philippines and the USA, and accessible to worldwide audiences with English subtitles thanks to various streaming platforms. At the time of writing ten episodes have been broadcast over two weeks. What follows is an initial review of those episodes.
The premise
Narda Custodio (Jane De Leon) is a young woman with a passion for helping people, and a knack of finding herself in the middle of trouble. Narda is unaware that her mother, Leonor (Iza Calzado), hails from the planet Marte where she was once a legendary warrior named Darna who liberated Marte from invaders. Finding a quiet spot in the galaxy to settle down, Leonor has enjoyed a simple Filipino life, becoming an Emergency Medical Technician (paramedic) and mother to two children -- Narda and her brother Ding (Zaijian Jaranilla.) She still practices her martial arts skills every day, though, skills she insists her reluctant daughter must also learn.
As the show starts, some of Leonor/Darna’s old foes arrive on Earth and adopt human identities. They bring with them a weapon in the form of a giant robotic killing machine, forcing Leonor to once again use the alien stone that grants her the powers of Darna. Narda discovers her mother’s true identity, and realises the combat training has been to prepare her to become the next Darna. But Narda rejects her destiny, believing she is not a brave warrior like her mother. Instead she decides to follow her mother in a different way, as an EMT.
Unbeknown to all, the defeated robot’s power source has infected local people, mutating them in ways they can’t control. To make matters worse, there’s rampant corruption running throughout local politics and the police that may be linked to the hidden alien menace.
As events unfold, the reluctant Narda is increasingly forced to transform into Darna to save her town.
Narda is assisted by several friends, who remain unaware of her dual identity. Brian Robles (Joshua Garcia) is a young cop who fights against the corruption that he believes is the cause of his father’s murder. He quickly forms a bond with Narda that slowly blossoms into a romance. Regina Vanguardia (Janella Salvador) is a stylish young attorney from a rich and powerful family who wants to rid the town of all aliens -- including Darna. She has a crush on Officer Robles, and a jealous streak, making her a powerful ‘frenemy’ to Narda.
The tone
Mars Ravelo’s Darna mixes elements of telenovela melodrama, and superhero fantasy, and throws in a healthy dose of mystery for good measure. There are subplots and secrets galore. The seemingly kindhearted local Mayor is a ruthless tyrant. The town’s unassuming fast food stall owner has a home-made crime lab for investigating extraterrestrial activities. People are going missing, and the police are covering up the disappearances. The plots come thick and fast, and the pace is relentless.
This is important, because with five episodes a week to produce the lead superhero cannot appear in every episode. Fantaserye plays to a different beat to American tv fantasy, allowing the subplots and supporting characters to have a greater share of the screen time.
The show’s characters are a mixed bag of serious, comedic, and melodramatic. At one end of the scale are the two leads, Jane De Leon and Joshua Garcia, who deliver pretty straight dramatic performances. At the other end of the scale there’s the Greek Chorus of comic relief characters at the local cafe, who bicker and comment on every event.
Most characters fall into pretty well defined soap archetypes. There’s few shades of grey here -- the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and the audience can cheer or boo for whoever is on screen at any given moment.
The actors
As Narda, Jane De Leon proves particularly adept at handling the different demands of each storyline, be it action, romance, comedy, or tragedy. She works well with Joshua Garcia, sharing pretty good on-screen chemistry. Jane and Joshua’s performances are noticeably more natural and restrained than some of the other supporting characters. Janella Salvador, by contrast, gives viewers a true soap opera style performance as Regina, the rich and powerful daddy’s girl, playing the melodrama for all its worth and keeping the audience guessing as to if and when she’ll flip from Narda’s friend to her worst enemy.
There’s a massive cast of irregular characters who show up depending upon the demands of a given episode. Each of the main characters have their own subplots, and their own small cast of supporting characters. In many cases these supports are merely there to serve the needs of the main character, but some may provide bridges between the various parallel stories and Narda’s main plot.
The effects
Given that this is a superhero show, the obvious question is how special are the special effects? To paraphrase a line used to sell Christopher Reeve as Superman: “will we believe a woman can fly?”
On a Filipino tv budget, at five episodes a week, the effects -- unsurprisingly -- don’t quite live up to US tv standards. But that’s not to say that they are poor; far from it! Given the circumstances, it is actually quite incredible that the fights, stunts, and effects are as effective as they are.
Rather than scale back their ambitions, the team behind Darna have attempted some pretty exciting action sequences. Instead of aiming for perfect CGI like a US show might do, Darna just has fun with the tools at its disposal. It is as if the creators thought to themselves, “to hell with it, let’s just put as many thrills on screen as we can afford, and hope the audience is forgiving enough to excuse the few rough edges.”
Conclusion
Darna is like the bastard television love child of Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman and Joan Collins’ Dynasty! It smashes together classic old-school superhero hi-jinx with soap opera melodrama, and the results are a lot of fun.
The pacing may be a little odd if you’re used to mainstream American television, and the effects aren’t as polished as US tv, but the story lines have that essential soap quality of making you want to keep coming back for more. Jane De Leon offers up a warm and modest hero who is immediately relatable, and her supporting cast play their various sympathetic or villainous roles with such gusto that the show easily becomes a bit of a guilty pleasure.
Two weeks (ten episodes!) in, and already there’s enough intrigue and mystery to keep Scooby Doo and his chums occupied for years. Yet Narda has barely started on her hero’s journey to become the new Darna. Here’s hoping the series as a whole delivers on its promising start.
Internationally Darna streams on Kapamilya Online Live, iWantTFC, and The Filipino Channel. Search for apps in your app store. Domestically it broadcasts on cable via Kapamilya Channel and Jeepney TV; and on free TV's A2Z and TV5.
