Phi Palmos began his relationship with theater by way of escapism. Tired from the daily grind as a call center agent, Palmos looked to plays and musicals to decompress. Palmos would travel from his office in The Fort (now Bonifacio Global City) to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to be rewarded by the magic of live performances. Though he knows that films can just as easily and cheaply replace this sense of escape, nothing compares to the thrill of the stage.
“There’s something about an actor playing on stage that, you know, weirdly relaxes me. That certain relatability, ganyan na totoo ‘yong napapanood mo. I think that gives you comfort,” Palmos says.
It was Miss Saigon — of course — that got Palmos interested in theater. When it was staged in Manila in 2000, he remembers how he and his friend camped outside the CCP hoping that someone would give them tickets. He recalls, “Nakaupo kami, dalawang batang bading, sa ramp ng CCP while all the cars are going up. Pero wala. Memorized ko ang Miss Saigon, all the songs — well, all the Kim parts. Since hindi ko napanood ‘yong Miss Saigon noon, I think nung nagkaroon ako ng trabaho and I have the means to watch shows, bumawi ako.”
Being a performer wasn’t even in Palmos’ cards, but being a natural singer with comedic chops meant that there was only one path for him. He confesses that a “quarter-life crisis” eventually led him to work as a comedian in 2010. In 2012, he began his life as a performer on stage with Tanghalang Pilipino’s Ibalong at the CCP, directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio and adapted by Rody Vera. Since then, he’s successfully landed roles in plays (Rak of Aegis, Ang Huling El Bimbo, Mula sa Buwan), films (Shake, Rattle and Roll Extreme and the Netflix original film Doll House), and TV shows (Widow’s War, the Filipino adaptation of What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?). Palmos won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Lawrence Fajardo’s Kintsugi, given by The Society of Filipino Film Reviewers.
It took until 2025 for Palmos to have his first lead in a musical, in Delia D., a jukebox musical featuring the songs of Jonathan Manalo. The show ended its three-month run last June, but they started rehearsing as early as February. The play follows the titular character struggling to find their place in the world while belting tunes from Manalo’s arsenal of hits and ballads, from “May Kasama Ka” to “Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw.”
This September, he’s slated to be part of the restaging of the theatrical adaptation of the Ricky Lee novel, Para Kay B. But aside from acting duties, Palmos is also trying his hand behind the scenes. In Para Kay B, Palmos serves as creative consultant of the play, while in Eksena PH’s Shorts and Briefs Festival, he’ll be making his behind the scenes. In Para Kay B, Palmos serves as creative consultant of the play, while in Eksena PH’s Shorts and Briefs Festival, he’ll be making his debut as a director in the play Shit.
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