The Filipino comedy-drama “Love, Ngo” will begin screening in Qatar and Saudi Arabia on July 16, 2026, extending the film’s run in the Gulf after its opening across the UAE earlier this month. Viva Films announced the simultaneous release in a promotional poster.
Directed and written by Darryl Yap, the film stars Jerald Napoles as Ngongo, a hardworking young man with a cleft palate who helps run his mother’s burger stand. He meets Scarlet while volunteering at a foundation supporting people 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 cast includes Gina Alajar, Candy Pangilinan, Louise delos Reyes, Malupiton, Jobelyn Manuel, Jack Argota, and Tata Daclan.
The film opened in Philippine cinemas on June 3, 2026, under Viva Films. It is a prequel to the 2021 film “Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam,” where the Ngongo character first appeared before becoming a viral figure online.
Reviews since its release have been divided, largely along the fault line of whether its comedy honors or exploits its subject. Tempo described the film as crude but heartfelt, calling it a surprisingly sincere story about self-love wrapped in the raunchy humor characteristic of Yap’s work, and praised Napoles for bringing both humor and vulnerability to the role. LionhearTV called the film unapologetically funny and at times politically incorrect, noting its humor would not suit every viewer. Critics on user-review platforms have been harsher, with several accusing the film of relying on the cleft palate condition for laughs in a way that undercuts its message.
The debate predates the film’s release. The National Council on Disability Affairs earlier objected to the project, then titled “Ngongo,” over language it described as derogatory toward persons with disabilities. The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board later cleared it for public screening following a review.
Yap has defended the film’s approach and said the production cast people who live with cleft conditions. “They think we’ll just make fun of people with cleft palate. And I think the movie will correct that, that it’s fun to be with them. Not to make fun of them, but to have fun with them,” he said at a press conference. Yap added that the production left the characters’ speech unaltered, including in the subtitles.
Napoles has said he refused to soften the portrayal. “Mas nakaka-offend kapag half-baked ang portrayal mo,” he said, adding that the role was about presenting a full person rather than exaggerating a condition for laughs.
The Gulf is home to a large Filipino population, and Philippine film releases have drawn steady audiences at cinemas across the region.
