The Asia Diaries: the Philippines tour that took Just Bee beyond the dancefloor

Back in May, Hong Kong-based selector Just Bee joined hit the road with Teng for Y2K and Rezonate’s second Asia tour, this time heading to the Philippines.

Now, in the humid height of July, she’s cracked open her tour diary, giving us a peek into what went down behind the decks, beyond the beach parties, and beneath the surface of the archipelago's musical soul.

Spanning Manila’s buzzing nightlife and Siargao’s laid-back island charm, the tour seemed like a rich, multi-sensory journey. From the packed dancefloor at Kampai to a rain-soaked beach rave that still drew a crowd in the thousands, seems like Just Bee found herself immersed in a scene as vibrant and complex as the country itself.

Her diary also offers thoughtful reflections on class disparity in Manila, the evolution of the grassroots genre Budots, and the vital role local collectives like Manila Community Radio play in uplifting marginalised voices.

From surprise alcohol bans to heartfelt encounters with local collectives, this Philippines tour was cultural cross-pollination in motion.

And the fried chicken? Let's just say Andok’s might’ve changed her life.

Upon landing in Manila, we were welcomed by a symphony of jeepneys and motorbikes, their staccato honking creating the soundtrack of our stay. The Grab ride to our hotel gave us the first glimpse of the city through yellow-tinted windows, marking the start of our tour like a movie intro.

We christened our Philippines tour at Kampai, a hip drinking spot in Poblacion, Makati. As we entered the bar, the road noise disappeared behind us and was replaced by chill garage tunes and people chatting and drinking cocktails in the dim, loungey space. We ordered our drinks and settled down for a little bit.

Leaving the lounge and following a steepish wooden staircase upstairs, I was shooketh to find myself in a second bar packed full of people and bottles in ice buckets, a disco ball and a red neon sign of Kampai (side note: there are quite a few real neon signs in Manila, which was nice to see, although a sad reminder that it is a dying art in Hong Kong). The Kampai crowd was lit. The dancefloor stayed busy all night long and everyone there was having a great time.

Before hitting Apotheka, we joined Sai, Sean and Rex from Transit Records at the opening of Hodge Podge, record store founded by Toti Dalmacion who pioneered the Manila rave scene in the early 90s.

We were met with a curveball that night – the government had implemented a last minute alcohol ban at 12am due to local elections the next day. We were told that the alcohol ban usually happens on the day of. Although this left us with some uncertainty about the turnout, we knew that we would have a good time no matter what happens!

After the club nights, Teng and I recorded live streams for Manila Community Radio (MCR), a volunteer-run independent platform. Sean, Sai and Jorge are part of the volunteer team. I have so much respect for them. Running these platforms takes immense dedication, but they are vital to building healthy communities where emerging artists can experiment and underrepresented voices are heard. Support your local independent platforms!

The recording took place at OTO, a cozy cocktail bar with a large selection of records in Poblacion.

During the trip I learned a lot about the Filipino grassroots genre: Budots.

You may have heard the viral track 'Emergency Budots' by DJ Johnrey on Instagram or TikTok. This is Budots, a grassroots electronic music genre born in the Mindanao region of the Philippines. While millions around the world now embrace its silly, fun and expressive nature, the genre's journey to acceptance reveals a complex story about class and creativity in Filipino society.

In my conversation with Jorge (who’s also an electronic music professor and artist), I learned that Budots was long dismissed as annoying, tasteless and low class music.

This perception reflects the disparate social divisions in Manila that I witnessed firsthand. Walking through the city was a bit of a mindfuck: outside our hotel, people would ask us for food and money, while just 15 minutes away, we'd find ourselves among pristine mansions with crystal chandeliers and luxury apartment buildings that could be mistaken for grade-A office spaces.

What makes Budots fascinating to me is its origin story of resourcefulness. Born in the slums, producers create tracks using whatever they can access–sampling truck beeps, metal clangs and urban sounds to build their beats. A true testament to how limitations breed innovation!

In 2023, the MCR collective made huge moves to launch Budots into the global arena of dance music. First, they organised the now-legendary Boiler Room set by DJ Love, who pioneered the genre for over two decades.

The impact was clear and immediate, as seen in the comments from Filipino viewers, who once dismissed Budots but now celebrate it as a source of national pride. Building on this momentum, they released 'BUDOTS WORLD: Bawal Umiwas sa Sayawan!'–an ambitious 53-track compilation curated by DJ Love and contributed by Filipino producers across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

It's inspiring to see local collectives like MCR champion and elevate marginalised voices in this way. It’s not merely preserving a musical genre but also challenging social hierarchies, proving that creativity thrives everywhere, regardless of zip code. It's a powerful reminder that the most vital art often emerges from the places society tends to overlook.

Unfortunately, DJ Love was admitted to hospital earlier this year and there is an ongoing fundraiser for his medical funds.

Street cats in Manila are remarkably friendly. We've passed countless feline friends who did not hesitate to bonk our legs and rub against us. And it’s no wonder – locals look after them! We often spotted food and water bowls nearby, showing they're well-fed. So no, we didn't succumb to the meowing!

The main animal that rules Manila is CHICKEN!

My controversial opinion is that Andok's is superior to Jollibee. First for its rotisserie chicken and pork belly ("litson liempo"); second for its welcome jingle chorused by the cashier ladies.

Then there's Tetsuo; a cool Filipino-Japanese restaurant. They have a menu full of gorgeous items but my snack-loving ass can’t stop thinking about the deep fried chicken skin.

Having been immersed in the metropolitan city of Manila, arriving in Siargao was a reverse culture shock. Skyscrapers were replaced by palm trees and mountains; busy rushing city people were replaced by children playing freely on the sideroads. I immediately felt more calm and relaxed.

We took a boat to an island with friends to swim in the sea and enjoy a special Siargao spread. It was exactly what we needed before a weekend of gigs!

Barbosa is a cool spot co-founded by our amazing Siargao host, Jay Ru. By day it’s a restaurant that serves up Siargao classics and fusion dishes; by night the tables disappear and the space transforms into a club. The DJ booth is backed by a wall to ceiling vinyl collection of rare grooves, jazz, hip hop and much more.

Teng set the scene perfectly and took the vibe from dinner to dancefloor. His attention to detail and seamless mixing has been an educational experience for me during this tour!

The Barbosa crowd was fantastic to play to. As a DJ, all you wish for is a receptive crowd that connects with you and your music, one that allows you to experiment with lesser known sounds as well as the familiar. They were so fun and engaged; vibe check passed with flying colours!

We continued 30 minutes past the 12am curfew and ended the night on a high.

The weather appeared not to be on our side that day. It rained hard, from morning until 7pm. I thought to myself: "damn, not on our last day". Teng and I were supposed to be DJing on the beach, too!

Jay Ru runs this party every week, and he told us that a thousand people show up every time. I was sceptical that this night was going to be the same.

9pm came around and the set up was done. I was walking along the empty beach front when a tourist couple came up to me and asked whether it was going to be busy party later. I enthusiastically replied “Yes! And I will be DJing later!”. They didn’t look convinced though. I wasn’t sure if they came back later. If they did, there was no way of knowing because by 11pm, every inch of the beach and main stage was covered with people.

There’s a Chinese saying that comes to mind when visualising the scene: "人山人海" ("People Mountain People Sea").

Siargao is definitely a party island! I liked how local residents joined the party; either by drinking and dancing or setting up their own food stalls for extra cash on the weekends.

Cev is a must-visit. They serve the most stunning ceviche dishes including the Siargao classic, kinilaw.

Kurvada is a top spot for Filipino comfort food, they’ve got a big selection of dishes to choose from.

The above image is not just your average food pic. It’s the invoice for our meal at Kurvada! This is what the cashier looks at to calculate the final price.

Siargao is a beautiful island that was once a hidden gem known only to surfers for the iconic Cloud 9 waves, but is now a popular spot that attracts visitors from all over the world.

Unfortunately, the rapid growth of tourism comes with some downsides. The most repeated concern we’ve heard and witnessed first-hand is the dangerous driving behaviour. We saw many people overtaking mindlessly and not paying attention to their surroundings.

This selfish behaviour not only puts the driver themselves into danger but others too. Consequences of an accident can become deadly as there is no proper hospital facility on the island. Victims must be helicoptered to a nearby city to receive care for serious injuries. Since the main mode of transportation in Siargao are motorbikes, there’s always a chance of accidents happening.

Sadly, we also learned about the disrespectful and unruly behaviour towards residents and local businesses by certain tourists. It’s a shame because the island is where people go to find solace in its natural surroundings; a privilege once enjoyed by Siargao locals only. It’s unfair that they have shared their sacred space with outsiders but face mistreatment in return.

Beyond the crazy fun I’ve had DJing and partying with new friends, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for Filipino culture—from the distant karaoke belting to delicious regional delicacies and warm hospitality. It’s inspiring to see grassroots music being celebrated and future generations of the scene being nurtured. I can’t wait to return and discover more!

[Images via Just Bee (Abby Yuen), Dave Teng, JC Gam & Nathan Cornish]