The publication identifies itself as STARGATE PEOPLEASIA and is published bi-monthly by Stargate Media Corp. Its listed office is located at 3F, 1009 Metropol Building, Metropolitan Avenue, Makati City 1205.

Founding

PeopleAsia was launched in November 1999 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, with then-President Joseph Estrada serving as the special guest. The inaugural issue was released in December 1999, featuring MTV Asia veejay Donita Rose on the cover, photographed by Bien Bautista.

The magazine was established by veteran Filipino journalist Max V. Soliven, who also served as a founding publisher of The Philippine STAR. According to the publication’s historical account, Soliven articulated the magazine’s philosophy using a line from Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.: “Life is a great bundle of little things.”[1] Notably, early issues of PeopleAsia were printed in Hong Kong before production arrangements evolved.

Early identity

From its inception, PeopleAsia distinguished itself from conventional hard-news publications by focusing on the lives, achievements, and interests of notable individuals. Its editorial scope encompassed personalities, society, business, fashion, entertainment, travel, culture, and lifestyle. This personality-driven approach became central to the magazine’s identity, reflecting a founding philosophy that the people themselves constituted the story—a concept later embodied in its awards programs.

PeopleAsia is broadly categorized as a Filipino society and lifestyle glossy, though its coverage extends significantly beyond celebrity news. The publication’s website organizes content into several key sections:

• Features
• Faces in the Crowd
• Going Places
• Closet
• Awards
• People of the Year
• Men Who Matter
• Women of Style and Substance
• Newsstand / magazine content

Subjects featured in the magazine include politicians, public servants, business executives, diplomats, artists, designers, athletes, actors, musicians, beauty queens, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and other influential figures. Consequently, PeopleAsia occupies an editorial niche that bridges high-end lifestyle magazines, society publications, personality journals, and recognition platforms.

People of the Year

The People of the Year program is arguably PeopleAsia’s most prominent institutional feature. The tradition began in December 2004 when the magazine marked its fifth anniversary with a year-end issue recognizing individuals whose accomplishments had made significant impacts in their respective fields.

Over the years, honorees have been drawn from government and public service, business, entertainment, sports, fashion, arts and culture, diplomacy, advocacy, and science and medicine. The awards ceremony has become a major annual social and media event in the Philippines; the 2017 edition, for example, gathered personalities from diverse sectors including business, arts, sports, public service, and entertainment.

The program continued uninterrupted during the pandemic, with PeopleAsia holding a virtual People of the Year 2021 event. Recent editions have maintained this broad scope; the 2024 awards recognized figures such as Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey, Alice Eduardo, Tim Cone, and Grace Vera Cruz.

In 2025, PeopleAsia celebrated its 25th anniversary alongside the People of the Year event, featuring personalities including Olympic champion Carlos Yulo, Marian Rivera-Dantes, Loren Legarda, Risa Hontiveros, and Ramon Orlina. This occasion also marked the launch of the magazine’s YouTube channel. The subsequent 2026 People of the Year event represented another transition, recognizing new honorees while marking a change in editorial leadership.

Women of Style & Substance

Women of Style & Substance is another signature PeopleAsia institution, recognizing women who combine professional achievement with influence, leadership, and personal style. The first issue dedicated to this program was published in July 2005, with an inaugural group that included Bettina Aboitiz, Angel Aquino, Bianca Araneta, Margie Moran-Floirendo, Charo Santos-Concio, and Lucy Torres-Gomez.[1]

The program has endured for two decades; the 2024 edition was the 19th, while the 2025 edition marked the 21st Women of Style & Substance Awards Night.[1] Recipients have consistently included prominent figures from diplomacy, entertainment, business, sports, medicine, fashion, and advocacy.

Men Who Matter

Complementing its women’s franchise, PeopleAsia developed Men Who Matter to celebrate accomplished men. The first special issue appeared in June 2006, with early honorees including Manny Pacquiao, Chiz Escudero, Joey Concepcion, Albert Martinez, and designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

Subsequent awards have recognized men from politics, business, entertainment, medicine, fashion, and other sectors. The 2019 edition, for instance, featured figures such as Isko Moreno, Hayden Kho Jr., Tim Yap, and Paulo Avelino.

PeopleAsia has produced special issues tied to major Philippine personalities and historical moments. Two particularly successful examples were a 2009 tribute issue to former President Corazon Aquino and a 2010 commemorative issue following the election of Benigno S. Aquino III as president. According to the publication’s retrospective, both became major bestsellers.

The magazine has also provided special coverage of significant national and international events. In 2015, it received an Award of Excellence from the Philippine Quill Awards for its Papal Power special issue, which documented Pope Francis’ historic visit to the Philippines.

The history of PeopleAsia is closely intertwined with that of The Philippine STAR. Its founding publisher, Max V. Soliven, was among the founders of the newspaper. The PeopleAsia board continues to include figures associated with the publication’s broader corporate and journalistic history, including Miguel G. Belmonte, Kevin G. Belmonte, and Soliven himself as founding chairman.

This connection explains PeopleAsia’s distinct position: although primarily a lifestyle and society magazine, its institutional roots lie within a major Philippine newspaper organization and the tradition of professional journalism.

According to the current official masthead, the publication’s leadership includes:[1]

• Jose Manuel G. Romualdez — Publisher / President / Chief Executive Officer (on leave)
• Jose Paolo S. dela Cruz — Editor-in-Chief
• Sara Soliven De Guzman — Director
• Alex Y. Vergara — Features Editor
• Dexter Francis de Vera — Art Director

The masthead also lists Victorico P. Vargas as chairman, Miguel G. Belmonte as vice chairman, and Max V. Soliven as founding chairman.

A significant editorial transition occurred in 2026. Joanne Rae Ramirez, who had served as editor-in-chief since the magazine’s early years and as general manager and sales and marketing director from 2014 onward, stepped down from the top editorial post and was honored for her contributions. Jose Paolo S. dela Cruz subsequently assumed the role of editor-in-chief.

While originating as a print magazine, PeopleAsia has increasingly developed into a multi-platform media property. Its website publishes original articles covering personalities, lifestyle, fashion, travel, society, and awards.

In 2025, as part of its 25th-anniversary celebrations, PeopleAsia formally launched its own YouTube channel, describing video as a means to reach and engage a broader global audience. This development signifies a shift from being solely a physical magazine toward becoming a recognizable media brand across print, web, events, and video.

PeopleAsia occupies a distinctive place in Philippine popular culture by documenting the intersection of achievement, celebrity, wealth, leadership, fashion, and society. Its covers and features frequently bring together individuals who typically appear in disparate media environments, such as national athletes, business executives, diplomats, actors, and political leaders.

Its awards programs have reinforced this role. Rather than merely reporting on prominent individuals, PeopleAsia has created recurring institutional occasions where influential Filipinos are publicly recognized and situated within a broader narrative of national achievement. This renders the magazine both a lifestyle publication and a social record of influential Philippine personalities at specific points in time.

• 1999 — PeopleAsia launches in Manila; first issue published in December.
• 2004 — Introduction of the annual People of the Year recognition.
• 2005 — First Women of Style & Substance issue published.
• 2006 — First special Men Who Matter issue published.
• 2009 — Major special issue commemorating Corazon Aquino.
• 2010 — Special issue following Benigno Aquino III’s presidential election.
• 2015 — Receives Philippine Quill Award of Excellence for Papal Power.
• 2019 — Celebrates 20th anniversary.
• 2021 — Holds People of the Year virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2024 — Celebrates 24th anniversary.
• 2025 — Celebrates 25th anniversary and launches YouTube channel.
• 2026 — Holds 26th-anniversary People of the Year celebration; undergoes significant editorial leadership transition.

PeopleAsia’s brand proposition centers on “people who matter.” Its editorial formula combines people, achievement, lifestyle, influence, and prestige. This formula is evident throughout the brand: the magazine’s name, personality-driven covers, awards programs, society coverage, fashion and lifestyle features, and expanding digital presence all revolve around placing notable individuals at the center of the narrative.

Unlike pure celebrity magazines, PeopleAsia employs a broad definition of “personality.” Business leaders, diplomats, athletes, philanthropists, artists, politicians, and fashion figures coexist within the same editorial ecosystem.

1. About PeopleAsia – PeopleAsia