Filipino moviegoers in the UAE will soon get the chance to watch one of the most talked-about local films of the year, with Viva confirming that the Darryl Yap-directed comedy-drama “Love, Ngo” is heading to cinemas across the country.
A representative from Viva Middle East shared the development with The Global Filipino Magazine, saying the film will arrive on UAE screens soon. No exact release date has been confirmed, and the company indicated that more details will be announced in the coming days.
“Love, Ngo” opened in Philippine cinemas on June 3, 2026, under Viva Films. The film stars Jerald Napoles in the lead role, alongside Candy Pangilinan and Gina Alajar. It marks an expansion of the Ngongo character that Napoles first portrayed in “Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam,” a role that drew wide attention online for its comedic timing and emotional weight.
The story follows Ngongo, a hardworking young man who helps run his mother’s burger stand while living with a cleft palate. He navigates daily life alongside friends who share similar conditions, carrying private insecurities about how society views him beneath a cheerful exterior. The narrative turns when he meets Scarlet while volunteering at a foundation supporting individuals with cleft lip and palate conditions, and the two grow close before her family objects to the relationship over his condition and social standing.
The film reached cinemas after a review process in the Philippines. It was originally titled “Ngongo” and was initially flagged by the National Council on Disability Affairs over concerns that its language could be detrimental to persons with disabilities. The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board later cleared it for public screening following a review and gave it an R-16 classification, restricting viewing to audiences aged 16 and above.
The UAE is home to a large Filipino community, and local releases of Philippine films have drawn steady audiences at cinemas in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Viva Middle East said further information on the UAE screening would be released shortly.
