The Fil-Am who helped bring Disney+ to the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — It’s hard to deny that Disney magic is universal: whether you’re in Hong Kong, Europe, Japan or the US, there’s something about the brand that sparks almost giddy nostalgia: it’s probably related to that special feeling of being a kid or kid-at-heart.
When Disney+, the exclusive streaming portal for Disney content that also includes Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars properties, National Geographic adventures, Star movies and shows and a ton of new Asian properties, launched here on Nov. 17 with a twinkling “Night of Wonder” event at The Fifth at Rockwell, well, there were little frissons of kid-like joy: an R2D2 wandering around the dining hall for selfies as Catriona Gray introduced the night’s fun, food and festivities.
One guy who was there representing the Philippines was Fil-Am Disney executive Jay Trinidad.
He said he was “confident” that Disney+ would be “a runaway hit” among Filipinos. And who can deny it? Filipinos have been waiting for 2-3 years of lockdown to watch movies like Encanto and Willow, original
Marvel series like Wanda/Vision and She Hulk, and new Star Wars adventures like The Mandalorian and Andor. Suffice to say, the wait was worth it for Filipinos to have all this content on one streaming site.
Trinidad, Filipino-American SVP and general manager for Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Asia Pacific, certainly believes that is the case. “I think many Filipinos, like me, are romantics and dreamers. They dream of what they can be, and much of our content encourages people to strive to become who they think they can be. I like to believe this is why Filipinos have a strong affinity to Disney’s storytelling, because our stories inspire hope and wonder.”
Trinidad apparently led the charge to bring Disney+ to the Philippines and throughout the region. He’s a self-professed childhood Disney fan and avid Marvel Comics reader from his teenage years, and he’s not just confident that Disney+ will be huge among his fellow Filipinos, but says he’s thrilled that his kababayan Disney fans in his home country can finally experience the content the rest of the world is already enjoying, such as the Academy Award-winning Encanto, classics like Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast; Pixar favorites like Lightyear, Soul, and Turning Red; Marvel Studios hits like Thor: Love and Thunder, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Black Panther; new Star Wars gems like Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Mandalorian; the wonders of the world through National Geographic shows and documentaries; and the best of Korean entertainment on Star, which includes concert specials featuring global sensation BTS and other top Asian icons.
“I am beyond excited that fans, families, and friends in my home country will be able to access The Walt Disney Company’s vast and incredible collection of general entertainment content from our iconic suite of brands including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, Star, and even more,” he says. That also includes the entire Simpsons catalogue, The Muppets Show, every single Family Guy, a treasure trove of classic movies — and that’s just scratching the surface.
“I am heartened by the extremely positive response from Filipinos since our announcement and I feel proud to be delivering global, regional, and Asian language content to everyone in the Philippines so they can enjoy their favorite movies and shows on Disney+.”
It took some time, but Trinidad says the Philippines just had to be the next essential stop for Disney. “The Philippines is important to Walt Disney for a number of reasons,” he states. “The Disney brand is beloved by many in the Philippines and consumers have a deep connection with our movies, characters, and brands.” And it gets even more personal: Lea Salonga was declared a “Disney Legend” in 2011 at D23, the company’s huge fan convention held in Anaheim, California. “In 2011, we honored the Philippines national icon for her singing roles as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan,” he says with pride. That’s like gold status among Disney stars.
Since the announcement was made last October, there’s been a ton of internet buzz and chatter — all of it leading up to the big launch event last Nov. 17, which included video shout-outs to the Philippines from Olivia Rodrigo, Chris Evans, Ewan McGregor and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, and a final medley from Morissette and Christian Bautista performing A Whole New World and Beauty and the Beast.
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