Filemon R. Balbastro, Jr. (November 13, 1940 – February 2, 2008), better known as Billy Balbastro, was a Filipino

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 lawyer and entertainment columnist.

Early life

Balbastro was born in Oton, Iloilo

Oton, Iloilo

Oton is a first class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 65,374 people in 12,907 households.-Barangays:Oton is politically subdivided into 37 barangays.-Official Website:...

. By the age of fifteen, Balbastro was covering the entertainment beat for the Philippine Free Press and the Kislap-Graphic. He graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law

University of the Philippines College of Law

University of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...

 in 1962, and worked for ten years in the Commission of Elections (COMELEC) with stints in Vigan and Romblon. His columns appeared in the Abante and Abante Tonight tabloids. From 1982 to 1985, Balbastro was the president of the Philippine Movie Press Club.

Balbastro hosted a showbusiness-themed radio program, Showtime with Billy, which aired over DZMM

DZMM

ABS-CBN DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 is the flagship AM station of ABS–CBN Corporation in the Philippines. The station's studio is located at the ABS-CBN Broadcast Center, Sgt. Esguerra Ave., cor. Mo. Ignacia St., Diliman, Quezon City, while the transmitter is located at F. Navarette St., Obando, Bulacan...

. He also was a member of the Committee for Cinema of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines)

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines is the official arts council for the Philippines.-History:In 1987, then President Corazon C. Aquino penned Executive Order No. 118 creating the Presidential Commission on Culture and Arts...

.

TV Show

• Movie Magazine (1985–1992); GMA Network
  GMA Network
  GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
  
  )
• Two for the Road (1979–1980; GMA Network
  GMA Network
  GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
  
  )
• Troika Tonite (1993–1995; ABC 5
  Associated Broadcasting Company
  The Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal...
  
  )

Movies

• Sinong Pipigil sa Pagpatak ng Ulan? (1979; publicity and promotions)
• High School Circa '65 (1979; publicity staff)
• Kaaway ng Batas (1990; public relations officer)
• Lt. Madarang: Iginuhit sa Dugo (1993; publicity and promotions)
• Lab Kita... Bilib Ka Ba? (1994; publicity and promotions)
• Costales (1995; publicist)
• Tapatan ng Tapang (1997; publicity and promotions)
• Tampisaw (2002; promotion and publicity)
• Takaw-tingin (2004; promotion and publicity)
• Anak ni Brocka (2005)
• Kaleldo (2006; publicity and promotions)
• Twilight Dancers - Mr. Big Judge (2006)
• Troika (2007; publicist)