A Quick History of RAVE.PH and the Community That Kept It Alive

Back in 2014, when RAVE.PH first started, I was still just a junior high school kid in Cebu, tinkering with beats as a bedroom producer. Like almost every young artist back then, I spent my days witnessing the explosive rise of our electronic dance music scene from afar, quietly hoping that one day I would be good enough to be part of that movement. To me, seeing an artist or an event featured on RAVE.PH was a massive deal. It was the definitive badge of honor. Fast forward to today, and life has come full circle. Here I am writing, facilitating, and helping direct the ship for both Midnight Rebels and RAVE.PH as community manager.

RAVE.PH originally came to life because the local dance music scene was booming, yet no one was properly documenting it online. It was not a corporate venture. It was just a tight-knit crew of friends who loved the parties and decided to turn their energy into a real media outlet for Philippine nightlife. Jared Celemin spearheaded the project, while the late Drew Reyala poured in the tireless legwork to keep the gears turning. In those early years, nobody was getting rich off it. The platform ran strictly on hustle and ex-deal trades, trading event coverage, photos, and write-ups for access. They showed up for everything from massive outdoor festivals and multidisciplinary arts gatherings to sweaty, invite-only rented Airbnb spaces that traditional media outright ignored. Drew played a massive part in giving the brand its heart, constantly keeping everyone grounded in the mission to back local DJs and grassroots promoters who needed a platform.

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When the pandemic hit in 2020 and dance floors shut down overnight, RAVE.PH had to pause alongside the rest of the night economy. With no shows happening, the project went quiet for a few years. During that hiatus, Jared reestablished EDMPhilippines into Midnight Rebels, turning it into a dedicated global media brand covering electronic music worldwide.

Now, RAVE.PH is officially back, with Terrence Liquigan, Nicky Montes and myself stepping up to take over the reins on the ground. The Philippine creative circuit is moving in exciting directions, with fresh talent breaking past old formulas and introducing new event formats from scratch. RAVE.PH is right back in front of the speakers doing what it set out to do over a decade ago: show up, support the artists, and push local dance culture forward.