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Get ready for a thrill ride as Viva Artist Phoebe Walker, a familiar face on Viva’s dynamic live events, steps into the spotlight in the first local action film of the year. Brace yourself as she dazzles in the role of the ‘Buy Bust Queen’ in this advocacy feature helmed by director JR Olinares, who not only directs but also takes on the roles of line and supervising producer.

Beyond the action-packed scenes, Phoebe bares her soul, unraveling the complexities of her character’s journey and shedding light on the personal storms she conquered while filming. Join us as we dive into the real-life challenges she faced, adding an extra layer of intensity to her latest project.

In the candid pre-screening media conference at their premiere night, Phoebe shared her character’s reluctance to embrace a name, stating, “She really never wanted to be named anything. Wala talaga siyang gano’ng aim in her life.“

(“She really didn’t have that aim in her life.”)

“She just wanted to be the best that she could be. Of course… bringing everyone up on her team. It just so happened that in a particular operation, talagang it was so successful and siya yung naging core no’n. Great discovery about her? Just aim high all the time and have integrity and everything will follow.”

Delving deeper into her portrayal, Phoebe bravely opened up about the personal challenges she faced during the film’s production, saying, “It’s personal. I was going through something in my relationship at the time. It was during this production, I am very happy right now. My support is right here: Rico [Robles, who was there to support her].”

She continued to recall her ex — almost breaking into tears. “But during this [production, in] 2021, we broke up… A lot happened kasi bigla akong nagkaroon ng love triangle here with my co-actors na hindi napaalam, so naging issue siya. So I really took it out in my role. Naalala ko yun talaga. This is a very important role talaga in terms of my personal life, kasi, tatawagin ako ng direktor, umiiyak pa ako. ‘Direk, wait lang po!’ Sobrang internalized ko ang action scenes here. This got me through it. I’m happy now. Everything happens for a reason.”

“A lot happened because I suddenly got involved in a love triangle with my co-actors without him being informed, so it became an issue. So I really expressed it through my role. I really remember that. This is a very important role in terms of my personal life because the director would call me, and I would be crying, saying, ‘Director, please wait!’ I really internalized the action scenes here.”

Check out more photos from our coverage during the advance screening ahead of its nationwide release.

Phoebe’s character draws inspiration from the real-life ‘Buy Bust Queen,’ Director III Charlene Magdurulang, a former PDEA agent now serving as Regional Director of PDEA Region 13 CARAGA.

The film, directed by JR Olinares for Pinoyflix and Entertainment Production, in collaboration with PDEA, features a stellar cast, including Ritz Azul, Maxine Medina, Ellaine Ochoa, Cheng Alessa, Ameera Johara, Ayesha Cevantes, Ervic Vijandre, alongside Christian Vazquez, Jeric Raval, Alex Medina, Jeffrey Santos, Dindo Arroyo, Ping Medina, with a special participation by former PDEA Director Gen. Wilkins Villanueva as himself.

Highlighting the film’s intent, the director mentioned during an interview, “In reality today, women agents in PDEA have been increased. Despite being under-represented, women are highly successful in major operations of the agency. This film shall break stereotypes and will flip the gender scales a bit, proving that women can join spaces previously dominated by men.”

Check out the synopsis of the film “Buy Bust Queen,” which is now showing in Philippine theaters.

In this true story-inspired narrative, the motto ‘Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid’ encapsulates the daily courage exhibited by PDEA agents. This tale centers on seven exceptional women who defy gender norms, showcasing their unwavering dedication and resilience in joining an institution traditionally dominated by men. Their commitment stems from a lifetime of virtues, forming an unshakable foundation that cannot be easily replicated.